MENSTRUAL HEALTH REFORM IN SCHOOLS: A TURNING POINT FOR SOUTH AFRICA’S GIRLS

By Precious Mupenzi

• Menstrual hygiene in schools must not be treated as an add-on but as a fully integrated element of the broader Care and Support for Teaching and Learning framework, the Education Indaba on Menstrual Health and Sanitary Dignity has heard.
• Menstrual health is about much more than hygiene, it is a matter of dignity, equality, and opportunity, says the deputy minister of basic education, Dr Makgabo Reginah Mhaule.
• ⁠It strikes at the heart of South Africa’s constitutional commitment to human dignity and vision of an inclusive, equitable society where every learner can reach their full potential.

As South Africa intensifies its efforts to tackle period poverty, the conversation around menstrual health is shifting – it is no longer framed as a hygiene issue alone but as a matter of dignity, equity, and educational opportunity.

Speaking during the Education Indaba on Menstrual Health and Sanitary Dignity held in Sandton on 30 May 2025 Deputy Minister of Basic Education Dr Makgabo Reginah Mhaule framed the Indaba as a milestone in building a more inclusive education system.

“Menstrual health is not merely a matter of hygiene; it is a matter of dignity, equality and opportunity,” she told delegates.

“It strikes at the very heart of our constitutional commitment to human dignity and our vision of an inclusive, equitable society where every learner can reach their full potential,” Dr Mhaule added.

“Despite significant progress, we must honestly acknowledge that budget constraints, supply chain issues, and fragmented approaches continue to limit universal coverage,” Dr Mhaule said.

“This Indaba is an opportunity to overcome these challenges through the strategic alignment of mandates, resources and expertise.”

A data-driven path to dignity

The WASH in schools guidelines, developed with the Department of Basic Education, are also designed to institutionalise national norms and standards that uphold menstrual health management as a pillar of inclusive education, Noxolo Thabatha, the technical advisor for WASH in schools with the German Development Cooperation, told the Indaba.

The guidelines are not just about facilities, Thabatha stressed, but about transformation. “The guidelines offer a practical roadmap for schools to assess themselves, start improvements based on their current capacity, and measure progress using a step-by-step approach,” she explained.

WASH in schools refers to global initiatives aimed at improving water, sanitation, and hygiene services in educational institutions.

The WASH in schools’ framework is built on five pillars: policy and planning; budgeting; monitoring and evaluation; implementation agreements; and capacity development.

These structures ensure that menstrual hygiene is not treated as an add-on, but as a fully integrated element of the broader Care and Support for Teaching and Learning framework.

Thabatha pointed to the disturbing role of cultural taboos in perpetuating stigma.

“Dominant narratives still treat menstruation as something to hide. This harms our girls, not just physically, but emotionally and academically,” she said, calling for a mindset shift across schools and communities.

Among the most promising tools now available is the National Guidelines Matrix, which allows schools to self-assess across water, sanitation, hygiene, and menstrual health management indicators. Based on the results, schools are encouraged to act with the resources they have and track improvements – from one-star to three-star levels of achievement.

“It’s about starting where you are and recognising that even small changes matter,” Thabatha emphasised. “With access to toilets that lock, waste bins, soap, and dignity packs, we make school a safer space.”

With the integration of menstrual health management indicators into the South African School Administration and Management System, and growing collaboration among provincial departments, non-governmental organisations, and international partners, the momentum for change is unmistakable.

“Menstrual health reform is no longer optional. It is central to achieving gender equality in education,” Thabatha concluded.

Transforming systems and perceptions

The WASH in schools’ model is now integrated into South Africa’s Care and Support for Teaching and Learning framework. It aligns key stakeholders from the departments of health and education to water and sanitation around the five core pillars.

Dr Mhaule applauded these efforts but stressed the need for deeper systemic reform. “Our goal is universal access to menstrual products, at least in schools. That means measurable outcomes, clear coordination, and bold commitment from every department,” she stated.

To this end, the Indaba set the tone for an Integrated Implementation Framework and more effective monitoring mechanisms, especially in rural and low-income communities, where period poverty hits hardest.

From dialogue to action

Earlier in the day, more than 3 000 learners at Alexandra High School in Johannesburg received sanitary dignity packs and heard directly from government leaders about their right to dignity and education.

For many girls, the experience was more than symbolic, it was personal.

“Those learners represent millions more across the country,” Dr Mhaule said. “Their dreams, their future, cannot be compromised by something as natural as menstruation.”

The deputy minister closed her address with a call to action: “Let us change the situation and give that South African girl in school the opportunity to rewrite a positive story about her periods.”