How Reusable, Washable Pads Can Transform Girls’ Education
May 8, 2025
The Ripple Effects on Education
Lost Learning = Lost Opportunity
Missing school regularly (up to 2 days per month) adds up. In Gauteng, absentee girls missed an average of 1.9 days per school term—about 10–20% of all class time PMCDevelopmentAid. Over months and years, that compounds into missed lessons, lower grades, and risk of dropping out.
Reinforcing Inequality
This crisis disproportionately impacts girls from low-income and rural households. Left untreated, absenteeism feeds into gender inequality by limiting girls’ future pathways in higher education and the workforce SciELODevelopmentAid.
Why South Africa Is Particularly Vulnerable
Legacy of ‘Pit Toilets’
The use of pit toilets and lack of maintenance in many schools is more than just an infrastructure issue—it perpetuates shame and fear around menstruation.
Persistent cultural stigma
Deeply ingrained stigma sees menstruation as unclean or shameful. That stigma motivates some girls to miss school rather than risk being noticed—especially without proper facilities or supplies.
Policy lag and underfunding
Although VAT on sanitary pads was removed, many schools still fail to stock free pads or maintain WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene) standards. Budget misallocation and inconsistent implementation leave gaps between policy and practice.
What Works: Proven Interventions
Distribute Free Sanitary Products
Studies consistently show that providing pads reduces absenteeism by roughly half. In Gauteng, girls with enough products were 50% less likely to miss schoo.
Improve School WASH Infrastructure
Replacing pit toilets with clean facilities and ensuring privacy and water access reduces drop‑outs and period‑related stigma.
Incorporate Pain Management and Education
Programs like Teddy Bear Clinic’s SEVISA introduce menstrual cups and offer guidance—helping girls stay in school despite pain or embarrassment..
Spotlight: Success in Gauteng
Following activism by organizations like Equal Education and community audits, the Gauteng Department of Education allocated R750 million for sanitation upgrades, including improved WASH and menstrual hygiene facilities in over 578 schools serving 500,000 learners. This demonstrates that focused investment can lead to real, scalable improvements.
What Needs to Be Done Next
1. Fully fund pad distribution in schools
Cover every period, every month. If distribution is piecemeal, absenteeism will persist.
2. Expand and maintain WASH upgrades
Pit toilets must go. Each school needs clean, private bathrooms, water, soap, and disposal bins.
3. Integrate menstrual health into curricula
Normalize menstruation, teach about pain, hygiene, and mental health. Train teachers to understand and support menstrual needs, reducing teasing.
4. Monitor attendance data by gender and menstrual cycle
Only by tracking can we know if interventions work. Data-driven accountability is key.
5. Tackle stigma through community engagement
Involve parents, caregivers, boys and men in de-stigmatizing menstruation—to move from shame to support.
