SA SETS SOLID FOUNDATION FOR TACKLING PERIOD POVERTY

By Precious Mupenzi

•⁠ ⁠South Africa is leading the way in tackling period poverty through its Sanitary Dignity Framework, delegates at the Education Indaba on Menstrual Health and Sanitary Dignity have heard.
•⁠ ⁠However, menstrual health must become a legal entitlement, integrated into sexual and reproductive health rights, and funded through sustainable mechanisms, according to the United Nations Population Fund’s country representative, Yu Yu.
•⁠ ⁠Discussion on sanitary dignity must also be grounded in the lived realities of the schoolgirls and their mothers, says the southern Africa regional advocacy manager at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Ngaatendwe Murombedzi.

South Africa is doing many things right in tackling period poverty, but without improved coordination and stronger institutional collaboration, the country risks stalling its progress.

This was the consensus among development experts and advocates during a powerful panel discussion at the Education Indaba on Menstrual Health and Sanitary Dignity held in Sandton, Johannesburg, on 30 May 2025.

Facilitated by the Department of Basic Education’s Dululu Hlatshaneni, the session formed part of a broader national effort to mobilise government-wide support for universal access to menstrual products and services in schools by 2035.

The panel featured representatives from leading development organisations and foundations who reflected on global best practices and South Africa’s path forward.

South Africa has the right ingredients – now it must stir

UNICEF’s (United Nations Children’s Fund) country representative, Christine Muhigana, commended the country for its progress.

“South Africa is leading the way. Unlike some countries where frameworks exist but aren’t functional, here we have a solid policy foundation through the Sanitary Dignity Framework, committed partners, and earmarked financing. That’s a rare combination.”

Muhigana identified several global success factors that South Africa is already embracing.

“You need a policy environment led by a strong institutional actor, and the Department of Basic Education is playing that role. You need financing, and Treasury has made that commitment,” she noted.

“But programmes must also be well designed, inclusive of boys, and underpinned by infrastructure that ensures privacy and comfort. We’re proud to be working on climate-resilient WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) facilities that include waste management with the support of Japan and possibly the New Development Bank.”

Despite the successes, she warned of a looming risk: fragmentation. “Collaboration, collaboration, collaboration. That’s what Deputy Minister (of Basic Education) Dr Reginah Mhaule said, and she’s right. No one department can do this alone.”

Adding to this, UNFPA’s (United Nations Population Fund) country representative, Yu Yu, called for a paradigm shift in South Africa’s policy stance.

“We need to move from a welfare-based model to a rights-based approach. Menstrual health must become a legal entitlement, integrated into sexual and reproductive health rights, and funded through sustainable mechanisms.”

Where are the girls?

The southern Africa regional advocacy manager at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Ngaatendwe Murombedzi, delivered an impassioned appeal for more inclusive dialogue. “We’re in the right room, talking to the right people. But where are the girls? Where are the mothers who negotiate between a loaf of bread and a pack of pads?”

She stressed that the missing voices of girls and women at the grassroots level threaten to derail well-intentioned programmes.

“As someone who got her first period at 10, I know these conversations need to be grounded in lived realities. We need adolescent- and youth-friendly services in clinics and schools, and we need to tackle the psychosocial trauma that surrounds menstruation.”

Reframing dignity beyond distribution

Chairperson of the Baithudi Mampane Foundation, Thapelo Mampane, urged policymakers to rethink dignity not as a product, but as an enabling environment. “Menstrual health is often reduced to a procurement issue. But what use is a pad if the girl has nowhere safe or private to change it?”

Mampane called for systemic integration of menstrual health into the broader education and health equity frameworks.

“We need to upgrade sanitation infrastructure in schools alongside product delivery. We need inclusive education for boys to address the harmful attitudes that stigmatise menstruation. And we need scalable, sustainable options like menstrual cups, especially in rural areas where water scarcity makes reusable pads impractical.”

He also advocated for targeted procurement. “You cannot distribute the same products across diverse regions without considering local realities. Strategy must meet context.”

Menstrual health as a human capital investment

UNFPA’s Yu Yu brought an economic lens to the discussion. “This isn’t just a welfare issue. It’s about human capital development. The cost of disposable pads is unsustainable in the long term, and South Africa’s procurement policy currently limits women’s choices.”

He noted that the global menstrual product market is worth billions and that investing in the local production of reusable and sustainable options can create economic value.

“We must broaden procurement definitions to include menstrual cups and reusable options, which are more affordable and environmentally friendly. If a menstrual cup costs R30 and lasts 10 years, why are we spending R200 a year per girl on disposables?”

He concluded with a call to action: “Let’s strengthen institutional arrangements and make menstrual health a legally recognised right, not a charity.”

Toward an inclusive, integrated future

As the panel wrapped up, the speakers echoed a common sentiment: South Africa is not starting from scratch. The country has a strong foundation in place, but success will require breaking silos, amplifying the voices of young people, and funding innovations that suit every context.