Youth SRHR and Choices Today

There’s a lot of stigma associated with menstruation and this can be seen in some of the nicknames or euphemisms used for it. Although some of these euphemisms are not derogatory and are in common use, they still make “menstruation” sound like a taboo and should be discouraged because they reinforce the notion that menstruation is connected to shame. Moving forward, we may want to call a spade a spade , and menstruation,menstruation. Examples of such euphemisms include;   📌 “periods” 📌”Aunty Flo” 📌 “Red 📌 “It’s that time of the month” 📌”w’abu ne nsa” - she has broken her hands 📌 “edo le afeme” -she has stepped/gone out of the house  📌 “ekp) leti” -she has seen the moon Globally, the stigma of menstruation is perpetrated by cultural taboos, discrimination, lack of education, silence and “period” poverty (the inability to access/afford feminine hygiene products) We believe these recommendations will go a long way to smash menstruation stigma; 📌 Famil...

Despite being a completely natural function, menstruation has always been met with the most ridiculous of myths and this is the reason for the negative effects of the perception of menstruation on girls and women. The shame and misunderstanding surrounding menstruation has been deep-rooted in social and cultural norms.Today, we highlight a few of these myths as well as counter them with facts. Here are a few of the myths; 📌 Menstrual blood is a bad omen and can be used for rituals against the menstruating woman. 📌 Menstruating women are impure. 📌 Menstrual blood can weaken both men’s productive and reproductive abilities. 📌 Menstruation is a disease. Here are the facts of menstruation! 📌 Periods are a perfectly normal part of a girl or woman’s physiology. 📌 Menstruation is your body’s way of getting ready to  carry pregnancies. Without your period, you’re likely going to be unable to give birth. 📌 Menstruation is not a disease. It is part of the normal funct...

Are you aware that? 📌 66% of girls in public schools do not use their school toilet facilities when in their periods either due to lack of privacy, lack of water to flush, dirty environment or fear of falling through squat holes.  📌 7% of girls in private schools are unable to use their school toilet facilities either due to sight of used sanitary pads all around, toilet not frequently flushed and the stench from the washroom. 📌 Most girls send their used sanitary pads home because of lack of proper disposal facilities in the schools and the fear that their used pads will be used for rituals. 🔍In a nutshell, there are inadequate Water, Sanitation and Hygiene(WASH) facilities in schools accounting for absenteeism, low self esteem and loss of concentration due to fear of period accidents and poor menstrual hygiene. As we approach Menstrual Hygiene Day,2020(themed; It’s time for Action), the Youth Advisory Board of Marie Stopes Ghana acknowledges that there is the ur...

Did you know that? 📌 Between 59 and 90 percent of girls feel shameful about menstruation  [self-esteem]             📌Most girls are unable to pay attention in class or even participate in activities because of pain or anxiety about staining themselves [concentration] 📌 95 percent of girls sometimes miss school due to menstruation. [ absenteeism] 📌 some girls have to change schools or completely drop out of school because of the shame associated with period accidents especially when their mates make fun of them. [drop-out] 🔍 Essentially, all these girls lose out on contributing their maximum to their economies. Unfortunately, the girl reading this post may have experienced either one or more of low self esteem, loss of concentration or absenteeism because of her period at a point in her life. As we approach Menstrual Hygiene Day,2020(themed; It’s time for Action), the Youth Advisory Board of Marie Stopes Ghana acknowledges th...

Period accidents occur all the time; but we must admit that more often than not when they happen, most girls scurry away in shame because of the stigma associated with periods. The Youth advisory board of Mariestopes Ghana has put together these steps to help you be period smart when someone around you has a period accident.  Do read on and share your thoughts on it in the comment section. • Don’t laugh! • Make her understand it’s a perfectly normal thing to happen and to not be ashamed • Offer her a sweatshirt or jacket to cover the stain and help her to the washroom if she wants you to. • Offer an absorbent if you have one • Discourage others from laughing, jeering or passing derogatory remarks. Share your personal views on other ways we can be period smart as well in the comment section. Kindly join the ongoing conversation on periods ahead of Menstrual Hygiene Day on our social media handles   Facebook- Marie Stopes Ghana Instagram- @mariestope...

An absorbent as the name implies is anything that soaks fluid. In the case of period blood, the materials that were previously in existence could have all passed as absorbents with the above definition but not with the lastest innovation! Read on to discover which one it is. (Wink) The choice of menstrual hygiene product to use depends on what you’re most comfortable with, and what activity you’re engaged in at the moment. For example, swimming doesn’t have to be canceled when you’re on your period- The menstrual cup is there to save the day! Also, how frequently you change your used hygiene product depends on how heavy your flow is and also what you’re most comfortable with (again). Types of mentrual hygiene products include; • A sanitary pad: they are made of cotton and have sticky strips that attach to your underwear. Change frequently and don’t leave in place for more than 8hours. • Tampon: Cotton plug that can be inserted into the vagina. They usually come with an a...

It  is the 2 to 7 days that a girl or woman has her menstrual flow, which is when blood and tissue leave her body through her vagina. This happens because each month, blood and tissue build up in the uterus/womb to prepare for a fertilized egg in case the girl or woman becomes pregnant. Ovulation is the release of eggs from the ovaries. After ovulation(release of eggs) has been achieved, If the egg isn’t fertilized, that lining leaves the body through the vagina and the girl or woman has her period.         Therefore, a girl who is ovulating for the first time(which will lead to her first period) can also get pregnant if she has unprotected sex even though she hasn’t had her first period yet. Your first period is called “Menarche” and signifies that you can become pregnant if you have unprotected sex. A girl/woman continues to have her period every month till “Menopause”(end of menstration). The Youth Advisory Board of Marie Stopes Ghana, encourag...