By Lindelwa Dlamini
MBABANE – Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Thulisile Dladla has received dignity kit packs for both boys and girls from United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Eswatini.
This event took place yesterday (Tuesday, July 9, 2024) at the DPM’s office boardroom in Mbabane.
UNFPA Head Officer Margaret Thwala-Tembe upon handling the kits she firstly appreciated the DPM for her role on fighting for gender equality since her appointment.
“Today we are delighted to present these items as it is part of the United Nation (UN) system to support the government. We have previously taken an assessment with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and realized that a lot of girls absent themselves from school during their menstrual cycle days because they don’t have sanitary pads,” Dladla said.
Tembe further said at times, girls from destitute backgrounds would use clothes as sanitary pads, which usually resulted in urinary tract infections. She also congratulated Government for coming up with guidelines for different sectors. The dignity packs are supposed to be used in order to ensure that during menstrual period life continued to be normal.
These 100 packs include pads, toothbrush, toothpaste, body lotions, roll-ons, soaps and face-towels. She promised that they will give more in future.
Receiving the packs, the DPM said these kits were important to the vulnerable children in schools, who sometimes missed classes when going through their monthly menstrual.
“On behalf of the vulnerable young girls, thank you. They need such assistance. This will bring back their lost self-esteem. As a young girl you are expected to have a high self-esteem but if you do not have the right things your self-esteem is affected,” the DPM said.
She promised that these packs will be given to vulnerable children including those who are disabled in different communities.
