Hello

Your subscription is almost coming to an end. Don’t miss out on the great content on Nation.Africa

Ready to continue your informative journey with us?

Hello

Your premium access has ended, but the best of Nation.Africa is still within reach. Renew now to unlock exclusive stories and in-depth features.

Reclaim your full access. Click below to renew.

Schoolgirl’s death inspires campaign to end period stigma

The conservative culture around menstruation is still alive and even grown women hide sanitary products owing to stigma. A period tracker mobile app has been launched to help girls take control of their own health and dispel the myths and misconceptions about menstruation that lead to anxiety, fear, and shame.

Photo credit: Photo I Pool

What you need to know:

  • In Mary's her community, menstruation signals readiness for circumcision and marriage, potentially jeopardising her dream of becoming a teacher.

When Mary*, a 12-year-old girl from Samburu County, got her first period, she was afraid of telling her parents about it.

When she saw spots of blood on her underwear, she felt very strange and didn’t know how to handle it.

When she reached home from school, her mother assured her she wasn’t sick, saying she should celebrate becoming a woman. 

However, Mary remained deeply worried. 

Marriage

In her community, menstruation signals readiness for circumcision and marriage, potentially jeopardising her dream of becoming a teacher.

Mary is one of the millions of girls in Kenya suffering from period poverty—lacking access to menstrual products, private bathrooms or education about menstruation. Many girls endure shame and fear during their first period, which is compounded by inadequate government funding for menstrual health programmes and limited safe spaces to seek support.

To combat this, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Embassy of Denmark in Kenya have launched the "Flow With Pride" campaign. The initiative aims to eliminate period stigma and poverty while promoting menstrual health and dignity across the country.

Despite being a natural biological process, menstruation in Kenya remains shrouded in stigma rooted in taboos and misinformation. 

The “Flow With Pride” campaign seeks to challenge harmful stereotypes that deepen gender inequality and limit opportunities for over 12 million girls and women who menstruate monthly.

“Period stigma and shame create barriers that prevent women and girls from realising their academic, social, and economic aspirations. This campaign is a call to action for all of us to ensure no girl is lost or left behind by building a society where menstruation is embraced as a normal and healthy part of life,” said UNFPA Kenya Representative Anders Thomsen.

UNFPA and the Embassy of Denmark partnered with Common Light Pictures, AL IS ON Production, and FilmAid Kenya to screen the film ‘Impure’. 

Inspired by the tragic 2019 story of a girl from Kabiangek, Bomet County, who took her life after being ridiculed for having her first period and staining her uniform, the film aims to spark conversations about menstrual health and societal norms.

The 14-year-old girl took her life after narrating her ordeal to her parents in Chemelet village.

Community screenings of ‘Impure’ will take place in Nairobi, Bomet, West Pokot, Turkana, Garissa and Kwale. The events include facilitated dialogues to create safe spaces for open discussions about menstruation and its associated challenges.

A Ministry of Health situational analysis reveals that over half of Kenyan girls still struggle to access menstrual hygiene products. In low-resource areas, this often leads to missed school days, sometimes up to 20 per cent of the academic year.

These barriers exclude women and girls from education, work, and economic opportunities. Challenges include lack of menstrual health products, inadequate information about menstruation and limited care for menstrual complications.

"Denmark is committed to empowering girls and women to reach their full potential. Access to safe, decent menstrual health and hygiene improves mental well-being, boosts school attendance, and increases work participation, leading to better grades for students and fewer lost wages for women,” said Stephan Schønemann, Ambassador to the Royal Danish Embassy in Kenya.

The ‘Flow With Pride’ campaign will advocate for government action, urging policymakers to enhance menstrual health policies and allocate more funding to address these challenges.

Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika recently emphasised the urgency of addressing period stigma and ensuring every girl has access to menstrual products.

“Periods should not rob our girls of their dignity, education, or dreams. We must come together to break the cycle of stigma and create a future where menstruation does not hold anyone back,” the county boss saud.

The campaign running until December 2025 will unite civil society, grassroots organisations, development agencies, government, and private sector partners. Its goal is to ensure that no girl in Kenya is left behind because of her period, and to build a society where women and girls thrive.