Deputy minister of education, arts and culture Faustina Caley has objected to a bill proposing free access to sanitary products for schoolgirls in Namibia, claiming the current Basic Education Act already provides for this.
The bill was introduced by official opposition leader McHenry Venaani in the National Assembly recently, to “regulate the provision of free sanitary materials to schoolgirls in need in Namibia”.
“… to establish a framework for identification, distribution and monitoring, and to provide for incidental matters thereto,” the parliament order document reads.
Caley, in a prepared statement which motivated her objection, which she was not required to read in parliament yesterday, said the Integrated School Health Policy already outlines the details of the distribution of sanitary pads.
“We have appointed life skills teachers at all schools to identify pupils who are vulnerable and in need of items such as sanitary materials.
“The grant policy, which allows for the equitable allocation of grants to schools on the basis of their socio-economic status, also addresses the allocation of sanitary pads and other materials to our pupils,” she said.
The deputy minister’s objection was not welcomed by the opposition, with Venaani saying “it is a shame what Swapo did today”.
He insisted that an act that forces the government to implement the distribution of sanitary products among schoolgirls should be granted through the parliament.
“Bring a law to enforce it so that it becomes an enforceable process in the legislative process. Because for the last 10 years they have not been doing it,” Venaani said.
Last year, executive director of education, arts and culture Sanet Steenkamp said sanitary pad dispensers are not a straightforward matter, and neither is issuing directives.
She said it is rather about what is feasible.
“Of course, we do take the issue of sanitary pads/towels provision to schools very seriously. Years ago we looked into all the possibilities,” she said.
Currently, schools are using N$5 of each pupil’s universal primary and secondary education grant as seed money for schools to start a project to buy, manage and distribute sanitary pads to needy pupils.
“At this stage, we will rather concentrate on accessibility of good quality sanitary products,” she said.
‘CALLOUS DISREGARD’
A 2021 report, titled ‘Comprehensive Assessment of Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices on Adolescent Girls in Namibia’, reveals that most girls prefer and use disposable pads, but one in four girls cannot afford them.
The report also says only one in 10 girls use reusable pads, and that 4,2% of girls miss school during their periods.
The report also revealed that only half of schools in the country had toilet paper, and soap was also in short supply.
The Popular Democratic Movement in a press statement yesterday said the rejection of this essential bill demonstrates a government that is apathetic towards the basic needs and rights of its own people – particularly the most vulnerable.
“It is an irrefutable fact that access to sanitary pads is not a luxury, but a basic requirement for young girls’ and women’s health, dignity, and education.
“The Swapo administration has shown callous disregard for the well-being and future opportunities of many Namibian girls and women by utilising their ‘tyranny of numbers’ to divide the house and deny this idea,” the statement reads.
NOT THE FIRST TIME
A local press agency in 2016 reported that female parliamentarians shied away from talking about menstruation when the provision of feminine hygiene products to needy schoolgirls was raised in the National Assembly.
The motion was tabled by Venaani then, who said bringing such a motion to the parliament is important to remind those who consider the issue a taboo that all matters that require developmental intervention are “the issues of members of parliament”.
Then deputy minister of gender equality and child welfare Lucia Witbooi also tried to silence the debate by saying the ministry has programmes in place through which free sanitary pads are provided to some schools.
She could, however, not say which schools benefitted from the programme, only saying it needs to be strengthened.
Prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said she did not see the need for such a debate to be held in the National Assembly if such a programme is in place.
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