In June 2022, Days for Girls International (DfG) partnered with WASH United and Irise Institute of East Africa to launch the Menstrual Health Country Snapshot project, a collection of research-based reports on the conditions, rights, and policies surrounding menstrual health (MH) in different countries.
Alongside WASH United, DfG published a successful first and second wave of reports on Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. One year later, in June 2023, the first Snapshot of our third wave of reports was published on South Africa.
Now, DfG and Wash United are excited to announce the publication of the latest MH Country Snapshot on Ghana!
To date, very little MH-focused research has been conducted in Ghana, making it difficult to fully understand the scope of MH barriers in the country. As such, this Snapshot marks not only the successful continuation of the third wave of Snapshots, but also stands as a significant accomplishment for the MH field in Ghana.
DfG’s research, conducted in collaboration with leading MH experts in Ghana, produced groundbreaking findings on the limited support and resources available for people who menstruate, as well as the overall lack of progress in MH rights.
Below are three key insights from the Ghana Snapshot:
- As many as 95% of Ghanaian girls miss some school each year due to MH, and 9 out of 10 girls are absent from school during their menses.
- The price of menstrual pads in Ghana has risen 32.5% in recent years due to inflation, and more than doubled in price between 2021 and 2022.
- In 2021, the Ghana Education Service implemented a five-year strategic plan to promote improved MH practices in schools.
These insights merely skim the surface of the incredible findings from the Ghana Snapshot, which we are thrilled to share with our incredible community of MH advocates around the world. It is our hope that by continuing the Snapshot project, providing valuable research, and paying attention to global MH conditions, menstrual equity can soon become a reality for everyone.
Read the full Ghana MH Country Snapshot HERE.
