A community-oriented program is desired to give school aged girls equal opportunity to remain in classes during their menstruation cycle.

In rural Papua New Guinea, access to sanitary pads is limited and many young girls stay away from classes when menstruating.

Under the Papua New Guinea- Australian Partnership Program, women in Hiri District have been sewing reusable menstruation kits for school aged girls.

The full kit includes reusable sanitary pads, a wash towel, a pair of underwear, a bath soap, a plastic bag and a carrying bag.

Arau David was one of the first 40 women participants in the Training of Trainers Program and she is restarting the project again after COVID 19 affected productions.

Just recently Ms David has been teaching other women to sew reusable pads and keep the project going.

The reusable sanitary pads were first introduced to women in Sogeri and along Mount Koiari in 2017 under the Kokoda Initiative Program.

In realising the challenges in women’s menstrual health, the partnership between the two governments identified sustainable programs to benefit young girls and women in the long run.

In December of 2020 menstruation kits were donated to students at Bisiatabu and Sogeri Primary Schools under the Seif Meri Mun Program.

Similar programs have been rolled out throughout the country with different development partners and non-governmental organizations taking the lead to promote safer hygiene.

At the national level, the Government has integrated Menstrual Health Programs into the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene or WASH Program with a focus on designing facilities and providing a supportive social environment for students.

The government has also put in place policies like; Policy and Standards for WASH in Schools 2018-2023, which includes provisions for menstrual health education for girls and boys, provisions for menstruation-friendly WASH infrastructure and services, and training of teachers and staff to supplement menstrual health education.

Recent: https://insidepng.com/beon-women-undergo-life-skills-training/