Breaking the Silence: Zambia Pushes for Menstrual Dignity in Schools

By Alain Kabinda

As Zambia joined the rest of the world in commemorating Menstrual Hygiene Day 2026, a strong message echoed through the gathering halls: menstruation should never be a source of shame, stigma, or a barrier to education.

Government officials, civil society organizations, educators, development partners, and learners gathered in Lusaka to call for urgent action to improve menstrual health and hygiene management across schools and communities.

The commemoration highlighted the daily struggles faced by many girls and women who continue to lack access to clean water, safe sanitation facilities, sanitary materials, and accurate menstrual health information.

Speakers warned that despite growing awareness, menstrual dignity remains out of reach for thousands of girls, particularly in vulnerable and underserved communities.

The Zambia NGO WASH Forum Coordinator Ms Bubala Muyovuwe Mumba emphasized that without proper water, sanitation, and hygiene systems, girls are often forced to manage menstruation in unsafe and undignified conditions.

                                   (Ms. Bubala Muyovuwe Mumba)

Ms Mumba stressed that many schools and communities still lack private toilets, clean water, proper disposal facilities, and hygiene education programmes necessary for safe Menstrual Health Management.

“Menstrual dignity remains out of reach for many girls and women. All WASH programmes must intentionally include menstrual health considerations in planning, budgeting, implementation, and monitoring,” Ms Mumba said.

Ms Mumba further argued that menstrual health is not merely a women’s issue but a national development issue linked to education, health, human rights, and gender equality.

For many girls, the monthly experience of menstruation continues to affect school attendance, concentration, confidence, and participation in class activities.

Speaking at the Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) Commemoration under the theme “Together for a period-friendly world” in Lusaka, Ministry of Education Assistance Director School Health and Nutrition Mr. Maybin Luulu acknowledged that many learners continue to face challenges caused by inadequate menstrual hygiene information, limited access to sanitary products, poor sanitation infrastructure, and deeply rooted myths surrounding menstruation.

Mr. lulu revealed that harmful misconceptions still exist in some communities and schools.

In one example shared during the event, girls at a certain school reportedly refused to dispose of used menstrual materials in an incinerator because they feared their blood could be used for witchcraft.

The revelation exposed the extent to which cultural myths and misinformation continue to affect menstrual hygiene practices among learners.

Mr. Luulu also described such misconceptions as barriers that must be addressed through open dialogue, education, and community sensitization.

“As a ministry responsible for the wellbeing and education of our learners, we recognize that these barriers negatively affect school attendance, participation, confidence, and academic performance,” Mr. Luulu said.

He further reaffirmed that the ministry is committed to create safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environments where every learner, especially girls, can thrive with dignity and confidence.

Mr. Luulu added that empowering girls with accurate information and access to proper menstrual hygiene resources contributes directly to better education outcomes and greater gender equality.

Stakeholders and schools have called for stronger partnerships among government institutions, schools, communities, parents, civil society organizations, and cooperating partners to advance menstrual health programmes nationwide.

They also emphasized the need for increased investment in school sanitation infrastructure, affordable sanitary products, awareness campaigns, and policies that protect the dignity of girls and women.

There were also renewed calls to integrate menstrual health into all Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programmes to ensure that menstrual management becomes a shared national responsibility.

The event further challenged society to normalize conversations around menstruation and break the silence that has for years fueled stigma and discrimination.

“The time for silence has passed. The time for action is now,”

Advocators in Menstrual Health have called for menstrual pain management to be fully integrated into Zambia’s National Adolescent Health Strategy, warning that thousands of girls continue to suffer silently from severe menstrual pain that affects their education, wellbeing, and daily lives.

Speaking during a menstrual health presentation, Dr Nachizya Edith Namukanga said menstrual pain, commonly dismissed as “just period pain,” must be treated as a serious adolescent health issue requiring policy attention and healthcare support.

Dr. Namukanga, who is affiliated with Women in Global Health Zambia (WGHZ) and UNICAF, highlighted findings showing that 78 percent of adolescent girls in Lusaka experience primary dysmenorrhea, while a systematic review across Africa places the pooled prevalence at 62.3 percent.

She said the statistics demonstrate the urgent need for Zambia to strengthen menstrual health policies and ensure adolescent girls receive adequate medical attention and support.

Among the recommendations presented were integrating menstrual pain into the National Adolescent Health Strategy, allowing compassionate school absences for girls experiencing severe dysmenorrhea, and training healthcare workers in adolescent-friendly pain assessment and management.

Dr. Namukanga also called for the establishment of safe Menstrual Health Corners in clinics to provide young girls with information, counselling, and support services related to menstrual health.

She stressed that menstrual health education should go beyond hygiene kits and awareness posters to include practical pain management information and emotional support.

Dr. Namukanga further emphasized the importance of conducting more longitudinal research on menstrual health while ensuring inclusion of out-of-school girls, girls living with disabilities, and adolescents in rural communities who are often excluded from health discussions and interventions.

Then she advocates addressing menstrual pain and stigma remains critical to improving school attendance, mental wellbeing, and reproductive health outcomes among girls and young women in Zambia.

As Zambia continues its efforts toward achieving gender equality and quality education for all, stakeholders say addressing menstrual health challenges is essential in ensuring that no girl is left behind.

For many participants, the commemoration was not just about hygiene — it was about restoring dignity, protecting the future of girls, and building a society where menstruation is managed safely, confidently, and without shame.

And one of the school girls attended the commemoration by the name of Grace (Name withheld for confidential Purposes) Shared her painful experience in an interview to Daily News of struggling to manage menstruation while attending school.

The learner explained that when she first started her menstrual cycle, she felt scared and ashamed because she did not fully understand what was happening to her body. She said the lack of information and fear of being laughed at by classmates made the experience even more difficult.

She revealed that there were times when she missed classes because she did not have access to sanitary pads and feared staining her school uniform in front of other pupils.

“Sometimes I would stay home because I was afraid other learners would laugh at me if my uniform became stained. It affected my confidence and my school performance,” Grace said.

The girl also described how severe menstrual pain made it difficult for her to concentrate during lessons, adding that many girls suffer silently because menstruation is still considered a taboo subject in some communities.

She called for greater support for girls in schools, including access to sanitary products, menstrual health education, and safe spaces where learners can openly discuss menstrual health challenges without shame.

Her testimony reflected the experiences of many adolescent girls who continue to face stigma, period poverty, and limited menstrual health support, especially in vulnerable communities.

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