Make free sanitary pads more reachable to flood victims, urban poor group

SHAH ALAM - Women non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have urge for the Health Ministry to start rolling out its free sanitary pads initiative to the urban poor and those impacted by the floods.

Lauding the ministry's initiative to combat period poverty by providing sanitary pads for free, the groups however said it should be made more reachable especially to those in need.

On Monday, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the ministry will provide free sanitary pads to address the period poverty issue in the country and for a start, it will be implemented at the ministry's building.

Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) partnerships and development director Amnani Abdul Kadir noted that it was easier to disperse the initiative to the government first, but it should have been focused out thoroughly.

She said flood victims, the urban poor and clinics around such areas in Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley should be considered in the implementation such initiatives.

"We have floods victims, children and women who are vulnerable.

"The urban poor are the poorest, there are so many clinics all around urban poor areas throughout Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley, places like this should be considered," she told Sinar Daily.

She also praised the ministry's initiative to help women overcome period poverty in the country.

"The initiative is really wonderful because period poverty is an ongoing issue for women all around the world and it had stopped girls from going to schools because they don't have sanitary products.

"It is the first time Malaysia has a female Health Minister and she has addressed women's issues first.

"Yet, the initiative should be rolled out to flood victims and the urban poor," she said.

Meanwhile, All Women’s Action Society (Awam) Kok Lee Lian programme manager said it was also important to address period poverty in marginalised communities such as the B40 group, the indigenous people, the Orang Asli and disabled women and girls so that the public was aware that the ministry was undertaking meticulous efforts to address the issue in the country.

She lauded the ministry's initiative in normalising periods by providing free sanitary products.

"The Health Minister’s initiative in normalising periods deserves recognition, and we hope that this will be swiftly emulated by other government ministries and agencies as well as workplaces in the private sector," she said.

Kok added that this was the right time to address the period poverty issue as it involved public health.

She noted that while period poverty affected women and girls, it was a cross-cutting issue which did not only involve sociocultural factors but also public health consequences, with both areas reciprocally impacting one another.

"Period poverty is a multidimensional issue, whereby it concerns not just lack of access to sanitary products and facilities, but also period stigma that can impede dignified menstruation management," she said.