Menstruation is still a taboo subject in Beninese schools. Thus, the arrival of a girl's first period very often leads to a drop in school attendance. Action Education has been fighting for several years for adequate menstrual education in this West African country. A webinar was organised on Tuesday 22 November on the importance of menstrual hygiene.
According to the World Bank, one in ten girls in sub-Saharan Africa misses school during her menstrual cycle, which is equivalent to almost 20% of the school year. The symbolic and physical burden of menstruation can lead to feelings of fear, distress, shame and discomfort, all of which can cause girls to drop out of school. This is a problem that Action Education addresses through training onmenstrual hygieneThis is already bearing fruit in Benin.
To give you an idea of the concrete actions already carried out, Action Education organised a live webinar on 22 November. Hosted by Vanessa Martin, Head of Advocacy at Action Education, Justin Akpo, Head of the AGIR-BENIN project and Imelda Agbodjelou, Field Facilitator, this video will enlighten you on the operations implemented to respond to this triple challenge around the rules: breaking the taboo, adapting school infrastructures and educating on menstrual hygiene.
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