This year, we, at CPAR Uganda, have joined the Menstrual Hygiene Campaign. And we are delighted that as part of our campaign to demand women menstruate with dignity, on menstrual hygiene day, Sunday, 28th May 2023, our Managing Director, Ms. Norah Owaraga, successfully hosted a women’s conversation on menstrual hygiene.
The event was well received, to the extent that a story by Journalists, Farida Nakayiza and Rachel Namuli, made it into the news that was aired on Monday, 29th May 2023 at 10:00 p.m. on BBS Terefayina or BBS TV Uganda; a media house that is owned by Buganda Kingdom.
In addition, BBS TV Uganda has published the clip on its YouTube Channel, titled: “Abakyala Beeraliikiruvu … Bannakyewa Baagala Omusolo ku Bisabika By’abakyala Gukendezebwe (Women are worried … civil society organisations want taxes on menstrual pads reduced.” Click here to watch the shot clip it is less that three minutes.
BBS TV Uganda boadcasts in Luganda, the language of the largest first nation of Uganda. And so we share here below an English translation of what was said in the clip:
Some time back, Parliament passed a law that increased taxes on menstrual pads. Something that many opposed because of the way it is going to affect girls, especially in the cost of pads.
It is in this context the aid agency, CPAR Uganda, wants government to establish a special system for menstrual pad disposal. Norah Owaraga of CPAR Uganda said that it is time for government to provide incinerators for burning of pads, because there are many diseases that are being spread through current disposal methods of used pads.
“You are carrying a used pad. It is soaked. You want to remove it, but you don’t have where to put it. We women really suffer. We carry used pads in our handbags until you get home where you can dispose of it. There needs to be a law passed that all hotels, all schools, all hospitals, everywhere many people gather, especially women, needs to provide used pad disposal bins.”
Norah Owaraga, CPAR Uganda Managing Director
Owaraga, who calls her self the aunt of government on the law that was passed increasing taxes on pads, has queried why woman members of parliament on why they did not object to the passing of the that law, in order to help the girls in Uganda.
“The Prime Minister is a woman. The Speaker is a woman. The Deputy, Kadaga, is a woman. The Vice President is a woman. All these women we would have thought, would be helping us to fight for women.”
Norah Owaraga, CPAR Uganda Managing Director
She is focused on spreading information on the dangers of the current used menstrual pad disposal practices and mechanisms, which she says may spread Hepatitis B if someone touches a used pad of a woman who has the disease, especially garbage collectors.
“I call upon KCCA. I call upon the Entebbe Municipal Council. I call upon all city authorities. Everywhere there is a market, there should be incinerators nearby. This because it is woman who mostly sell in those markets. When a woman has Hepatitis B and she menstruates into a pad, everyone who touches that used pad can get Hepatitis B.”
Norah Owaraga, CPAR Uganda Managing Director
CPAR Uganda Ltd 