GIZ South Sudan reaffirmed its commitment to gender equality and staff well-being with an event centered around menstrual health awareness on Menstrual Hygiene Day last Wednesday.
Featuring expert talks around menstruation and male allyship with gynecologist Dr Idyoro Ojukwu and gender equality advocate Data Gordon, the event aimed at breaking the stigma around menstruation, providing information, and empowering men and women to advocate for menstrual health within the workplace and their respective communities.
According to a press statement from GIZ, reusable sanitary pads were distributed to the participants during the event.
“Beyond the workplace, GIZ integrates menstrual health into project implementation to support women and girls in crisis and educational settings, while highlighting interventions that address menstrual health challenges in vulnerable communities,” the statement reads in part.
According to the UN, globally, over two billion people menstruate each month. However, period poverty remains a significant barrier for millions of women and girls. This term refers to the inability to afford or access menstrual hygiene products, proper sanitation facilities, and the education necessary for managing menstrual health effectively.
The lack of access to menstrual hygiene products and facilities leads to school absenteeism, early marriages, and loss of income for women and girls.
“On Menstrual Hygiene Day, the GIZ project ‘Food and Nutrition Security and Natural Resource Management – FONA’ distributed reusable sanitary pads and blankets to women in flood-affected and displacement areas, addressing urgent dignity needs,” the statement said. “Meanwhile, the project ‘ResPEct: Stop SGBV – Respond, Prevent, Educate!’, which focuses on preventing sexual and gender-based violence, will expand its response by distributing dignity kits to schoolchildren in Yei in June. These efforts help reduce school absenteeism linked to period poverty and demonstrate that menstrual health is a core element of inclusive, gender-responsive development, promoting dignity, access, and equal opportunities.”
The ResPEct project is co-funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the European Union.
“GIZ takes a holistic approach to menstrual health by combining workplace support with project-based efforts that address the needs of women and girls,” the statement said. “This commitment aligns with GIZ’s Gender Strategy and emphasizes the importance of gender equality for dignity, health, and inclusion as well as sustainable development.”
In South Sudan, GIZ works on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. Germany provides humanitarian assistance and supports the long-term development of South Sudan, above all in the fields of local governance, rural development, sustainable agri-food systems, water and sanitation supply, peace and reconciliation, gender equality, and SGBV prevention.