31/08/2026
LET’S STOP MAKING MENSTRUATION A TABOO.
Many teenage girls grow up learning about menstruation by themselves.
They wake up one morning, see blood, panic, and have to figure out what is happening because nobody thought it was necessary to prepare them for it.
In many African homes, conversations about menstruation and other reproductive health matters are treated like a taboo. Girls are made to feel like these are things they should be too shy or ashamed to talk about.
And that is one of the reasons so many girls grow up with period shame.
I have been there too.
I used to feel shy talking about menstruation until I eventually realized something: there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.
Menstruation is natural. It is not dirty. It is not a sickness. It is not something that should make a girl hide.
Today, I can comfortably talk about menstruation with anyone because why should I be ashamed to talk about something that is a normal part of a woman’s body?
As parents, guardians, teachers and adults, we need to start having these conversations with girls before their first period, not after.
And this is exactly why SAFE HANDS. SAFE HANDS Association Association exists.
We are committed to educating and empowering young girls, and young women with the knowledge they need to understand their bodies, make informed decisions, and take better care of themselves. We believe that conversations around sexual and reproductive health should not be surrounded by shame and silence. Knowledge is protection.
And as a young girl, please know this:
You should never feel ashamed for simply being a woman.
Your period is not something to hide. It is something you should understand, manage confidently, and talk about without fear.
UN Women UNICEF
