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The Army Wives Association of Ghana has donated sanitary pads to more than 1,000 schoolgirls to mark Menstrual Hygiene Day 2025, underscoring a growing national movement to create a “period-friendly world”.
At a ceremony to launch the Garrison Girls Care Initiative, Mrs Patience Dzifa Adeti-Gbetanu, President of the Army Wives Association and wife of Ghana’s Chief of Army Staff, said the donation was about “more than just hygiene – it’s about empowerment”.
“Menstruation is not a shameful experience but a sign of life,” Mrs Adeti-Gbetanu said. “Yet for too long, silence and stigma have kept girls in the shadows. That ends today.”
Held annually on 28 May, Menstrual Hygiene Day is observed globally to break taboos and raise awareness about the challenges girls and women face during menstruation. In Ghana, those challenges remain pressing. Research from UNICEF shows that nearly half of schoolgirls in the country do not have access to adequate sanitary products, and many miss classes during their periods.
The donation event, supported by the Ghana Army, the Garrison Education Unit and Yazz Products, distributed sanitary pads and educational materials to girls in military garrisons and surrounding communities. The initiative also included talks on menstrual health, self-care, and body confidence.
“With the launch of the Garrison Girls Care Initiative, Ghana Army is making a statement to the whole world that defending a nation also means defending the wellbeing of its daughters,” Mrs Adeti-Gbetanu declared.
The initiative, she said, aligns with several of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, including good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, and clean water and sanitation.
“Through this singular act, we are improving health, keeping girls in school, challenging harmful taboos, and ensuring that every girl can manage her period with confidence,” she added.
For many girls, managing menstruation remains a challenge due to poverty, shame, and misinformation. Civil society groups have long called for stronger interventions, including policy support for tax-free sanitary products and comprehensive sex education.
“Our daughters deserve to know that caring for themselves during their periods is not only hygiene – it also translates into empowerment. It protects their bodies, maintains their confidence, and allows them to fully participate in the classroom, in sports, and in life in general,” she said.
The event also saw Army Wives and healthcare workers engaging with students in small groups, answering questions and sharing personal experiences.
Young recipients of the pads expressed their appreciation, with some saying the gifts would help them feel “less embarrassed” and “more comfortable” going to school during their periods.
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