Muslim leaders hailed on menstrual hygiene

Jul 02, 2018

Government officials call on stakeholders in the education sector to work together to change the negative attitudes on menstruation.

PIC: Susie Weldon, co-founder of Faith in Water, delivering a presentation during the workshop in Kampala. (Credit: Mathias Mazinga)

HEALTH


The commissioner for private schools and institutions at the education ministry has commended Muslim leaders at the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) for their commitment to menstrual hygiene management.

Ismael Mulindwa particularly thanked them for coming up with menstrual hygiene initiatives, such as the Dignity for Girls project, aimed at improving menstrual hygiene and attitudes in primary schools.

Mulindwa made his commendation remarks during a menstrual hygiene management workshop, organised by UMSC and other partners, in Kampala.

Participants included district secretaries of education, regional khadis, women and youth leaders and headteachers of various schools.

Mulindwa's remarks were preceded by a sensitisation talk by the ministry's assistant commissioner (private schools and institutions), George Mutekanga, who urged Muslim faith leaders and educationists to provide their people with relevant knowledge on menstruation hygiene management.

He said the negative attitude that many people and children still have about menstruation has caused several social and economic problems, including low enrolment of girls in schools, early pregnancies and unending poverty.

The official called on stakeholders in the education sector to work together to change the negative attitudes on menstruation.

Mutekanga also called on education managers to put in place proper sanitation facilities in schools to facilitate better management of menstruation, and promised that the ministry would co-operate with the education department of UMSC to enhance menstrual hygiene.

Both Mulindwa and Mutekanga thanked Susie Weldon, the co-founder of Faith in Water (a UK-based charity that works to improve water, hygiene and sanitation in faith-founded schools) and her colleague Sam Adams for supporting the menstrual hygiene management project of UMSC.

The deputy Mufti, Sheikh Abdallah Ssemambo and the secretary general of UMSC, Hajj Ramadhan Mugalu, also addressed the workshop.

 

 

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});