Government has received menstrual and hygiene products donated as part of COVID-19 social relief measures.
Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, together with representatives from Water Aid Southern Africa, United Nations in South Africa, Footprints Foundation, and Langelihle Youth Foundation handed over the menstrual and hygiene products to Social Development Minister, Lindiwe Zulu.
The menstrual and hygiene products, including 30 000 sanitary pads, will benefit women and girls in child and youth care centres (CYCC).
It will also benefit shelters for victims of crime and gender-based violence (GBV), facilities for persons with disabilities, shelters for the homeless and Thuthuzela Care Centres, as well as girls in communities who are part of some of the programmes implemented by non- government organisations (NGOs).
The initiative is also utilised to encourage all sectors of society to play their part in ensuring that menstrual and hygiene products are made available for vulnerable women and girls in indigent households, shelters, informal settlements and quarantine spots during the lockdown period and beyond.
Handing over the products to Zulu and Nkoana-Mashabane, on behalf of all the partners during a ceremony held in Pretoria on Monday, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations (UN) in South Africa, Nardos Bekele-Thomas said the UN is pleased with the level of government leadership.
Bekele-Thomas was also pleased with the robust and comprehensive health and socio-economic response programmes undertaken.
Bekele-Thomas said the UN launched a $136 million South Africa Emergency Flash Appeal on 30 April 2020, which aims to meet the need of nine million South Africans in collaboration with 21 partners.
The handover said Bekele-Thomas shows the UN’s commitment to ensure that gains made towards the achievement of accessible development goals are not reversed.
“As a result, the Emergency Appeal supports the existing coordination efforts of government, stakeholders and other partners with the aim to ensure efficient and effective prevention, and response,” Bekele-Thomas said.
She added that the UN will continue to mobilise resources to significantly contribute to the identified needs.
Meanwhile, Nkoana-Mashabane thanked the partners for the donation noting that when events like the COVID-19 pandemic happen, the most affected people are women.
“We will raise healthy children even post COVID -19. During COVID-19, we will embrace you as our partner; we will grow good partnerships and the whole continent will celebrate, and we will grow together, with the boys and girls,” Nkoana-Mashabane said.
Zulu said the partnership is a fruitful one.
Zulu also reiterated Nkoana-Mashabane’s sentiments that women need to benefit from local production of health products.
“We need to give more respect to people on the ground dealing with these issues on a day to day basis.”
She further stressed a need for advocacy and education on what it means to go through period cycles, especially as more young girls are starting their periods as early as the age of 11. – SAnews.gov.za
