A lot remain unverbalized in the conversation around menstrual direction and even less , catamenial care provisions at the workplace . Across sectors , most leadership and planning positions at the work are held by men and as such , very little considerateness is given to viands around menstrual forethought and products for distaff employees . Within the horticultural sphere this present a particularly big challenge because low wages instantly contribute to period impoverishment : meaning most woman view these products as luxuries when in fact they should be reckon as necessity .
With women make up to 80 % of the workforce within the sector at the lowest level and rarely see within managements , the policy around catamenial provisions within the workplace are either non - existent or barely enforced . to boot , period stigma and the cultural barrier that exist around discussing any biological process a womanhood undergoes amplify the challenge towards addressing it .
This progeny was and proceed to be gradually tackled within Uganda ’s flower farms through lobbying and protagonism done by the woman proletarian as a result of training in char ’s leadership and catamenial care and hygiene under the Women@Work Campaign . What initially was a Training of Trainers session under the women ’s leading aspect of the campaign , led byUWEA(Uganda Worker ’s Education Association ) and in conjunction withAMwA(Akina Mama wa Afrika ) , was able to lay the base for women being their own proponent within the workplace . The leadership grooming expression ( conducted in 2019 ) link in with training on menstrual wellness and hygienics propelled the women to have conversations with one another and eventually with the leadership of their farms .
Among their asking , which range from measures to come up to sexual molestation to good maternal provision , the women also led the conversation on catamenial upkeep proviso . Previously some farm would offer women cotton wool which was a poor substitute for proper menstrual products but was the only useable provision at the time . Many farms offered nothing at all . The fair sex propose that the direction provide every woman actor with one inner circle of sanitary pads per month . After calculation , one farm ’s management provide to give each woman one pad per calendar month for emergency .
While this development was a welcome relief and a winnings for their lobbying and advocacy efforts , it was still not enough . The access and use of menstrual products is determined by cultural factors , economical factor and environmental divisor such as access to pee and waste management systems for disposal . healthful pads and other non - reusable menstrual products require the presence of right waste administration systems . Unfortunately , these proviso as well did not exist in many farms and thus led to poor garbage disposal of the sanitary pads and this baffle a great challenge to management and the fair sex alike .
In an unfortunate turn of events , early 2020 visualize the egress of the Coronavirus pandemic and the flush sector was one of the hard hit . The ripple burden of this were numerous include cut wages and in some cause , termination of workers ' contracts . This decreased income intend many cleaning woman could not afford any catamenial production as food and other canonical necessities postulate midway stage . Many women who puzzle out in the flower sphere are the head of exclusive headed homes and double up as bread victor and caregivers . The demands on womanhood ’s time and resources is already great and coupled with the dynamics of the pandemic and containment measures effect , affair like wellness and menstrual tending were a upstage lineament on their priority lean .
To answer to this crisis , UWEA with the support of Hivos unionised distribution of reusable pads to adult female worker in seven farm in September 2020 . Each woman received a mailboat of 4 reusable pads and they were shown how to use , store and clean them . This move was welcome both by cleaning lady and direction . reclaimable pads can last up to a twelvemonth and thus deal the toll implication of having to buy disposable pad . They also need not to be disposed after every use and can be used comfortably anywhere . The women also reported finding the pads comfortable and were not disquieted about any incidents or stain that were coarse with the use of other materials such as cotton . This dignified feminist crisis response was able to offer a medium full term solution to a dogged problem .
The introduction of menstrual tutelage provisions by employer specially in industry that are supported by casual or low - skilled labor from economically disadvantaged communities should be considered a required responsibility . The flower industry amongst many others falls securely within these criteria and providing reusable catamenial pad in conjugation with ensuring right waste direction for disposal of non - reclaimable catamenial merchandise is just a bare minimum pace towards ensuring the dignity and quilt of the absolute majority of their workers is taken into account . This can be done through ongoing training , lobbying and protagonism for and by the cleaning woman . At a national level these conversation can lead to effective insurance policy victuals that address the burden of period brand and flow impoverishment through proper structure and resourcing . The case for dignified menstruation requires continuous cause from all stakeholder ; employees , employer , polite society and government likewise .
For more information : Women@Work Campaignwomenatworkcampaign.org
