Unemployed women Should be trained to produce and supply government-issued sanitary Pads

In this article the African National Congress Women"s League said the Capacity building programmes for unemployed women on how to produce sanitary pads and run a business to supply government-issued sanitary pads should be offered to primary and high schools pupils in all nine provinces. Government can later source the sanitary towels from women-owned businesses. There are many things that government is providing but the biggest suppliers of those items remain male-owned businesses espacially whites males this include Free Condoms and Free Stationery. 

The ANCWL’s comments come after Minister of Women in the Presidency Bathabile Dlamini last week reportedly told Parliament's Multiparty Women's Caucus that pupils will soon receive free pads. Government had in the past committed to supply free sanitary towels to girl scholars, but there had been no full implementation in some provinces.The ANCWL calls for the ANC-led government to put timelines to implement this decision which will bring much needed relief to many girl learners who are from poor and working class families.

 The majority of the girl learners who cannot afford sanitary towels resort to unhygienic methods of using clothes rags and newspapers during their menstruation and that poses health risks to them has been shown by various reports.

 ANC led government had provided free condoms, it is our firm view that sanitary towels must also be freely available particularly for girl learners from poor and working class families.  Menstruation is not a choice but natural occurrence. The women’s league would mobilise its members, supporters and society in general to embark on a campaign for Treasury to add sanitary towels into the list of items zero-rated on value-added tax Matuba said.

I hope it is the good idea to provide free pads because many girls in South Africa miss 3 to 5 days of school each month because they cannot afford sanitary pads. For many families; basic survival is priority and there simply isn't enough money in the budget to buy pads every month. Women's must be trained so that the will be female-owned sanitary towels company that will produce affordable sanitary pads. 

This will enable women to break the cycle of  poverty, take charge of their futures and invest in good business model that could break the minimum wage barrier and promoting the women economic empowerment.  

Title: Unemployed women Should be trained to produce and supply government-issued sanitary Pads 

Source: News24

Link :  https://m.news24.com/SouthAfrica/news/unemployed-women-should-be-trained-to-produce-and-supply-government-issued-sanitary-pads-ancwl-20180304