The death of a 14-year-old schoolgirl, who took her life in 2019 after being ridiculed for her first period, revealed the cruel realities of stigma on menstruation in Kenya.
Her tragic story will now be retold countrywide in a new campaign aimed at eradicating period stigma and ‘period poverty’ while promoting menstrual health and dignity.
The campaign was launched on Friday by UNFPA and the Embassy of Denmark in Kenya.
They noted that despite being a natural and healthy part of life, menstruation in Kenya is still surrounded by stigma that is rooted in taboos and misinformation.
The ‘Flow With Pride’ campaign will work to end period shaming and the associated harmful stereotypes and barriers that serve to deepen gender inequality, limiting opportunities for more than 12 million adolescent girls and women in Kenya who experience menstruation each month.
“Period stigma and shame create barriers that prevent women and girls from realising their academic, social and economic aspirations,” UNFPA Kenya Representative Anders Thomsen said.
“This campaign is a call to action for all of us to ensure no girl is lost or left behind, by building a society where menstruation is embraced as a normal and healthy part of life.”
UNFPA and the Danish embassy will also conduct screening of the film Impure, a coming-of-age story inspired by the tragic 2019 incident of the young girl from Kabiangek village in Bomet county, who took her own life after being ridiculed for her first period.
Community screenings of Impure will be held in Nairobi, Bomet, West Pokot, Turkana, Garissa and Kwale as part of awareness and education efforts.
The screenings will be accompanied by facilitated dialogues aimed at creating safe spaces for open conversations about menstrual health while addressing harmful societal norms.
Beyond the stigma, challenges in managing menstruation continueto create further barriers for women and girls.
These challenges include a lack of access to menstrual health products, lack of information, and inadequate care for complications, which exclude them from education, work and economic opportunities.
A situational analysis by the Ministry of Health revealed that over half of Kenyan girls still struggle to access menstrual hygiene products.
These challenges often translate into missed school days, with some losing up to 20 per cent of the academic year.
In addition to community-level engagements, the campaign will advocate for stronger action from governments, policymakers, and partners to enhance implementation of menstrual health and hygiene policies and increase funding for menstrual health initiatives.
“Denmark is committed to empowering girls and women to reach their full potential. Access to safe, decent menstrual health and hygiene improves mental well-being, boosts school attendance and work participation. This leads to better grades for students and fewer lost wages for women,” Danish ambassador Stephan Schønemann said.
The campaign will run up to end of December 2025 and will bring together civil society, grassroots organisations, development agencies, government and private sector partners in promoting and improving menstrual health and dignity across Kenya.
Jackeline Chepng’eno from Bomet was reported to have died by suicide after a teacher humiliated her for soiling her dress.
She was a Standard 6 pupil at Kabiangek Primary School and lived with her grandparents.
According to a study done in
2016, only 46 per cent of women
in Kenya report having the feminine hygiene materials they need
to manage menstruation.
