Department of Women to launch sanitary dignity programme in KwaZulu-Natal
The Department of Women in partnership with the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government will host the Provincial Launch of the Sanitary Dignity Programme in Umlazi, KZN.
Since 2016 the Department of Women has coordinated the development of the Sanitary Dignity Policy Framework which sought to provide minimum norms and standards for the provision of sanitary towels to indigent girls and women. The Framework aims to ensure that no girl misses school due to not having sanitary dignity products to manage a natural biological process.
The KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Launch takes place after the national launch which took place in Piet Retief Mpumalanga on 28 February 2019. On 13 April 2019 the department launched the programme in Makana, Eastern Cape. This launch in KZN is of particular importance due to the high levels of poverty experienced in a large number of rural communities, which places girls at risk of missing school regularly due to them being unable to manage their menstrual cycle hygienically.
Government is committed to ensuring young girls remain in school and access to sanitary dignity products is universal. With this in mind, Government announced a zero-tax rating on sanitary products which took effect from 01 April 2019. KwaZulu-Natal has been allocated an amount of R27 Million for the rollout of sanitary towels in the 2019/2020 financial year.
Members of the media are invited to the event to understand the Sanitary Dignity Policy Framework, as well as the rollout programme for KwaZulu-Natal.
The details of the launch are as follows:
Date: Friday, 03 May 2019
Venue: Dr Pixley Ka Seme Hall, Mangosuthu University of Technology, Umlazi (To Be Confirmed)
Time: 09:00-14:00
Media enquiries:
Shalen Gajadhar
Cell: 060 979 4235
E-mail: shalen.gajadhar@women.gov.za
