27/05/2026
Menstrual hygiene is not just a “girls’ issue.” It is a dignity issue. A mental health issue. A safeguarding issue. An education issue.
As a counselor, I have come to realize that some of the quietest struggles children carry are the ones society rarely talks about openly.
For many girls, menstruation arrives with confusion, fear, shame, anxiety, and sometimes even isolation. Some miss school because they lack access to sanitary products. Others sit in classrooms distracted, uncomfortable, and afraid of embarrassment. And sadly, many still grow up believing their bodies are something to hide.
But what breaks my heart even more is how often we forget that the boy child is also part of this conversation.
Boys are entering a transformative stage too.
They are curious. Confused. Emotionally overwhelmed. Trying to understand changes in themselves and in others. Yet many are taught silence instead of empathy. Jokes instead of understanding. Teasing instead of compassion.
What if we changed that narrative?
What if schools became safe spaces where both girls and boys are educated with honesty, respect, and emotional intelligence?
What if we taught boys that supporting menstrual hygiene is not “awkward” it is humanity?
What if we raised a generation where girls feel safe during their periods and boys grow into men who lead with empathy rather than stigma?
Menstrual hygiene is fundamental because it shapes confidence, attendance, emotional wellbeing, and self-worth.
And when handled with care, education, and dignity, it can transform not only a child’s school experience but their entire sense of identity.
Sometimes the most impactful safeguarding begins with conversations adults are afraid to have.
Let us normalize education.
Let us normalize empathy.
Let us normalize dignity.
Because every child deserves to feel seen, supported, and safe during every stage of growth.
