The Ghana CSOs Platform on the Sustainable Development Goals has praised the government’s decision to provide free sanitary pads for female students in basic and secondary schools.

In a joint statement, the CSOs emphasised that the initiative would play a crucial role in addressing period poverty, reducing absenteeism among schoolgirls, and ensuring that no girl’s education is disrupted due to a lack of menstrual hygiene products.

Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson, while presenting the 2025 budget statement in Parliament, announced an allocation of GHC 292.4 million for the provision of free sanitary pads to female students in primary and secondary schools.

He also disclosed significant tax waivers on locally produced menstrual hygiene products to make them more affordable.

Despite welcoming the initiative, the CSOs expressed concerns that girls in apprenticeship programmes and those out of school may not benefit from the policy.

They warned that this exclusion could leave many vulnerable to challenges such as sexual exploitation and teenage pregnancy.

“While we commend this initiative for its potential to improve school attendance, academic performance, and reduce risks such as school dropout, teenage pregnancy, and gender-based violence, we are concerned that a significant group—girls in apprenticeship and those out of school—may be left behind. A comprehensive strategy is needed to ensure their inclusion,” the group stated.