By Fabiana Mcklmon
Today, at a presentation held at the Umana Yana in Georgetown, First Lady Arya Ali announced the expansion of the Menstrual Hygiene Initiative, aimed at ending period poverty in Guyana.
During the event, First Lady Arya Ali expressed her commitment to gradually expand the initiative’s coverage as more funding becomes available.
Her ultimate goal is to provide free sanitary products to every woman and girl in Guyana.
Mrs. Ali emphasized that Guyana is well on its way to becoming the first country in Latin America to offer sanitary products free of charge to its female population.
She believes this ambitious endeavor will position Guyana as a global leader in gender equality.
Minister of Education, Hon. Priya Manickchand, also spoke at the event, highlighting the significance of the menstrual hygiene initiative.
She noted that it has opened up conversations across generations on a topic that was once considered taboo.
Minister Manickchand expressed hope that Guyana would see a new generation openly discussing menstruation and addressing related issues sensibly.
Research conducted by the Ministry of Education in 2021 revealed that more than half of the female population in secondary schools across Guyana required assistance with sanitary pads, while one-third faced challenges in accessing them.
In response to this pressing need, the First Lady initiated the Menstrual Hygiene Initiative to combat period poverty.
To date, over 32,000 high school-aged girls have received free sanitary pads through the initiative, with the number expected to rise.
This initiative represents a significant step towards ensuring menstrual health and dignity for all women and girls in Guyana.