UNICEF calls for urgent action on menstrual hygiene gaps in Ghana

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has called for accelerated efforts to improve menstrual hygiene management and sanitation facilities in schools across Ghana.

The organisation says nearly two million schoolchildren in the country still lack access to basic water and toilet facilities.

In a statement issued on May 26, in commemoration of Menstrual Hygiene Day 2026 under the national theme, “Together for a Period-Friendly Ghana", UNICEF noted that the situation creates major challenges for adolescent girls during menstruation.

“Nearly two million school children in Ghana still lack access to basic water and toilet facilities, creating a severe barrier for adolescent girls trying to manage their periods with dignity,” the statement read in part.

UNICEF welcomed the government's Free Sanitary Pads Initiative aimed at supporting schoolgirls nationwide.

It, however, stressed that more work must be done to address infrastructure and data gaps affecting menstrual health management.

According to the organisation, an estimated 1.9 million children lack water facilities in schools while 1.8 million do not have access to toilets.

It further revealed that more than 31 percent of adolescent girls have never received menstrual health education, a situation it says continues to fuel stigma, absenteeism and poor reproductive health outcomes.

The statement also noted that weak national tracking systems make it difficult to identify and support vulnerable girls who are out of school.

“Menstrual health is a matter of fundamental human rights, dignity, and economic opportunity,” UNICEF stated.

As part of efforts to improve the situation, UNICEF and its partners are advocating the expansion of gender-responsive water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools, promotion of safe hygiene practices, and the establishment of stronger data collection systems.