Senator in ‘period-stained’ suit kicked out of Parliament
What you need to know:
- We talk about period stigma all the time but experiencing it in Parliament was a different thing, Ms Orwoba.
- Her proposed law also seeks to create awareness on menstrual hygiene by including it in the curriculum.
Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba has given notice of motion on free sanitary towels aimed at ending period poverty.
This was after the legislator was kicked out of a Senate plenary session on Tuesday for wearing a ‘blood-stained’ white suit.
In an interview with Nation.Africa after the incident, the Senator claimed that the speaker asked her to leave the premises and change into a ‘decent’ outfit.
“It was very humiliating to be asked to leave Parliament for such a natural accident. We talk about period stigma all the time but experiencing it in Parliament was a different thing,’’ she said
Ms Orwoba says that although she has been vocal about ending period poverty, the experience pushed her to give the notice of motion for a stand-alone act that would guarantee provision of free sanitary towels for girls in primary and secondary public schools.
Her proposed law also seeks to create awareness on menstrual hygiene by including it in the curriculum.
Budgetary allocations
When asked how her recommendations are different from the current free sanitary towels programme, the lawmaker argued that the initiative is dependent on budgetary allocations.
“The current arrangement does not state the frequency of provision, so the government provides what they can depending on what they have, and it does not go to all schools. What I am advocating is for every girl in all public primary and secondary school to access sanitary towels every month,’’ she said.
