Linda Tsungirirai Masarira
BY LINDA TSUNGIRIRAI MASARIRA
Today, on Menstrual Hygiene Day, we stand united under the theme ‘Together for a #PeriodFriendlyWorld.’ This is a global call to action—a reminder that menstruation is a natural part of life and should never be a barrier to education, health, or opportunity.
No woman or girl chooses to menstruate it is nature. Once a month, women go for their “servicing,” a time that often comes with physical discomfort, emotional fluctuations, and hormonal shifts. For some, this time is not just a mild inconvenience but a severe, debilitating experience. Dysmenorrhea, menstrual pain, affects more than half of menstruating women, with a significant portion unable to carry out daily activities during this time. It is past time for our workplaces and nations, including Zimbabwe, to recognize the need for menstrual sick leave as a human right for those who suffer from such severe pain.
We must also dismantle the stigma around menstruation. It is unacceptable that in 2025, girls and women still miss school, work, and social life because they cannot afford sanitary products. We call for an end to period poverty, free sanitary wear for all vulnerable girls and women is a non-negotiable. If the state can provide free condoms for leisure, what is stopping it from providing free sanitary wear for nature?
In Zimbabwe, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has, over the years, allocated funds for sanitary wear distribution in the national budget:
– 2020: ZW$200 million
– 2021: ZW$500 million
– 2022: ZW$1.5 billion
Yet, most public schools report they have never received a single packet of sanitary wear from the government. This is a scandal. We demand an immediate audit of these funds, where did the money go? Which schools, if any, received sanitary wear? We demand transparency and accountability on this matter, for the dignity of our girls and women.
As an avid menstrual health advocate, I celebrate femininity and womanhood today. Menstruation is not a curse—it is a powerful reminder of the life-giving strength within women.
Let us build a world where no girl is ashamed of her period, no woman is denied opportunity because of menstruation, and no mother has to choose between feeding her family and buying pads.
“Menstrual dignity is not just a right; it is a sacred affirmation that every woman’s body is powerful, every girl’s future is valid, and no one should bleed in shame or silence. Periods are not a privilege, they are a fact of life, and they must be honoured with dignity, care, and respect.”
