Sanitary pads, long distances, among challenges facing Mokhotlong girls

MOKHOTLONG – Lack of sanitary pads, long distances to school and the risk of sexual exploitation are among the challenges confronting girls in Mokhotlong, as the Women’s Caucus in Parliament engages learners on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

Members of the Women’s Caucus through the support of SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF) in partnership with European Union (EU), visited St. Martins Primary and High School on Monday, where they engaged students on SRHR issues, listened to challenges affecting them and distributed sanitary pads to the girls.

Chairperson of the Women’s Caucus, ‘Mamamello Holomo, said reports of child marriage, early and unintended pregnancy and gender-based violence (GBV) affecting young girls have prompted legislators to take the issues directly to communities.

“As legislators, we want to understand the challenges young people are facing and find ways of addressing them,” Holomo said.

During the engagement, students raised a range of concerns affecting their education, safety and wellbeing.

Some said their parents marry them off in exchange for cattle, while others said parents sometimes hire them out, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation.

The learners also highlighted the dangers posed by long distances to school, saying the journeys expose them to the risk of rape and other forms of violence. They further spoke about older men who lure girls into sexual relationships by giving them money and other material benefits.

Menstrual health emerged as another major concern, with students saying the lack of sanitary pads sometimes forces girls to miss school.

St. Martins High School Principal Manthati Khutlisi said the visit by members of Parliament was significant, noting that it was the first time, during her tenure, that MPs had visited the school.

“Some days students miss school because they do not have sanitary pads,” Khutlisi said.

She said the sanitary pads distributed by the Women’s Caucus would go a long way towards helping girls maintain good hygiene and attend school without interruption.

Khutlisi also expressed gratitude for the education provided by the MPs, saying such engagements were important, particularly because the school serves communities in remote and hard-to-reach areas.

One of the students who received the sanitary pads said the donation would go a long way in helping girls manage their menstruation and remain in school. She also said meeting the legislators had motivated her to work harder towards achieving her dream of becoming a doctor.

SADC-PF which is supporting the engagements of Members of Parliament in Mokhotlong this week, was established in 1997. It promotes democratic governance, human rights, gender equality and sustainable development across 16 member states through initiatives such as its SRHR, HIV and AIDS Governance Project.