.png)
GTOM Period Cycles in Poverty
- Tanise
- Dec 6, 2020
- 3 min read
What is the problem?
In countries with poverty, girls are less likely to enter or compete in primary and secondary schooling. This results in a very large gender disparity in educational sectors where only 22% of girls become enrolled in secondary school.
While many factors influence girls' attendance in schools (gender expectations, lack of female teachers, gender-based violence), menstruation has been noticed as a significant barrier in the attendance of school for girls. This is especially prominent for girls who are in poverty where access to menstruation products becomes difficult.
Some studies have shown that the stigma around menstruation results in girls being too afraid to talk about it, therefore, management practices are not discussed openly.
Furthermore, a lack of proper menstruation products results in the inability to avoid soiling uniforms and outer garments (girls often have to lay on old clothes, blankets, chicken feathers, mud, and newspapers). Also, a lack of menstruation hygiene products can result in physical issues such as urinary tract infections and bacterial vaginosis (if products must be reused).
Girls have been interviewed and described feelings of shame and it has also been linked to elevated anxiety, depression, and distress.
In Uganda, 55.3% of girls reported that their periods resulted in them missing school.
Evidence?
Investigation:
A study done in Uganda with 1124 girls (conducted across 8 schools)
The schools were allocated to 1 of 4 conditions:
Provision of puberty education
Provision of reusable sanitary pads
Puberty education + sanctuary pads
A controlled group where there was no intervention.
The measured variable was then the school attendance which is a reflection of the psychosocial wellbeing.
Outcome:
A positive impact: the provision of sanitary pads and puberty education for girls.
With both puberty education and the provision of pads, the number of individuals who remained in school was 61.9% whereas individuals who didn’t have any intervention (the controlled group) had only 36% of the individuals left in the study. (which is a difference of 25.9%!)
What this tells us:
When girls avoid going to school because of the lack of menstrual products and education, it results in a decrease of educated women + a decrease in women representation in the labour force and access to job opportunities, making it very difficult to get out of poverty and resulting in girls falling back into the cycle of poverty. Fewer women in the workforce = fewer women becoming teachers = fewer girls going to school (lack of female teachers influences the number of girls who attend school) → brings back the cycle of poverty, girls not being able to get jobs. Fewer women in the workforce = fewer women in governmental positions, less representation for younger girls + less focus on women-oriented issues. Furthermore, the lack of education for girls results in losses in national wealth. The world bank figures estimate that national economics can profit from menstruation management. For every 1% increase of women in secondary education, there is a 0.3% increase in a country's annual per capita income. Not to mention, women in work are necessary for businesses (women in businesses result in businesses being more educational and productive).
What needs to be done?
Increased community engagement and knowledge sharing.
Education regarding menstruation + provision of sanitary products in schools.
Open discussions about menstruation (to remove stigma), where boys and men need to be included (it has shown that when men and boys are included, it further reduces stigma).
Governments need to be involved to increase the affordability of sanctuary products (consideration of menstrual hygiene as a human right).
PMID: 28002415
コメント