-Pres. Weah says of stigmatisation against women experiencing menstrual period
President George Weah has described as wrong, the stigmatization of females experiencing their menstrual period.
In brief remarks Wednesday, 9 June, when he joined First Lady Clar Marie Weah for the launch of the Menstrual & Personal Hygiene Initiative for adolescent girls in Liberia, the Liberian leader said, “When women are having their menstruate period, or when people are diagnosed of HIV/AIDS, there are some people who say demeaning things or keep distance away from them,” the President said. “They are feared or not associated with. This is wrong.”
The launch of the Initiative aligns with the First Lady’s flagship “She’s U Movement” that promotes gender equality and women’s right and empowerment in the country.
At the launch, Feminist-In-Chief President Weah bemoaned the unending specter of stigmatization of women undergoing their menstrual period and people suffering from HIV/AIDS.
He said there is no reason why women undergoing menstrual period should be stigmatized because it is a natural phenomenon.
The President also admonished women, especially married women, not to create unacceptable conditions when they are undergoing their menstrual period, noting, “Nothing is wrong with cooking for your husband even when you are having your period.”
The President termed it a form of self-stigmatization when women try to distance themselves from their husbands due to menstruation.
At the program, the Liberian chief executive pledged to purchase a machine for the mass production of menstrual pads towards First Lady Clar Weah’s Menstrual & Personal Hygiene Initiative.
The President said menstrual pads must be available and affordable at all times particularly for young girls to remain in schools and healthy.
He averred that his administration would do all it can to ensure that the sexual reproductive health and rights of Liberian women and girls are guaranteed at all times.
