Breaking the silence on menstruation We were taken aback last week by utterances made by some female National Assembly members who unashamedly refused to debate a motion dealing with the provision of free feminine hygiene products to needy schoolgirls. A week before the debate, this newspaper praised DTA leader McHenry Venaani for bringing up this debate in addressing the plight of women, especially those from poor families.
It must be said that menstruation can be a problem for women who are economically disadvantaged. A lack of sanitary pads has catastrophic implications for many girls and women.
It often denies them their right to dignity; we continue to read horror stories about how young girls use leaves and unhygienic methods to control the blood flow during menstruation.
At the end of the day their abilities to make good decisions about their menstrual health is heavily compromised.
We find it very sickening that the very same people who are supposed to champion the cause of these poor women are now shying away from openly debating an issue that is slowly but surely damaging lives.
The motion seeking for the provision of free sanitary pads is one that affects the poor directly and one that could help their lives directly. Representation of the people must the basic source for any parliamentarian.
And to the MPs who are “uncomfortable” to discuss this issue, we say shame on you for not standing up for the Namibian child.
You have clearly failed the Namibian child in these changing times where people talk frankly about tampons and sanitary hygiene. A caring woman will not be ashamed to talk about periods and sanitary pads.
I respect that periods are a taboo subject the world over.
But we are not going anywhere with this deafening silence. The culture of shutting up creates an environment in which girls are denied what should be a basic right. Let us speak up today!