The goal of the project is to strengthen communities and groups to be able to end tax on sanitary pads as well as transform harmful social and cultural norms, beliefs, and practices that perpetuate menstrual shame, stigma, taboo, fear, pain, violence, isolation, or discrimination into dignity, justice, and health.

“Menstrual dignity is not a privilege but a matter of rights and justice. Menstrual products should not be taxed. This project builds on existing efforts and actions that aim to ensure menstrual products are available, affordable, and accessible to all who need them.  said, Dr. Zoneziwoh Mbondgulo-Wondieh, Executive Director of Wfac.

She further adds, “In one of our studies, we noticed that a girl may spend approximately 270 hours managing her menstrual cycle. Without adequate facilities, such as access to clean water and disposal bins, she is most likely to miss 270 hours from the 810 hours of classes annually. This significant loss of learning hours has a profoundly negative impact on her academic performance and overall educational outcomes. And is most likely to also spend almost 2 million frs on menstrual products from the day she starts menstruating til when she gets to menopause”. 

In addition, Michele Sojip, founder of Handicapés et Fiers Association, alludes:  “Women and girls with disabilities face double discrimination that exacerbates their menstrual vulnerability. The inaccessibility of sanitary facilities, particularly in schools, deprives them of their right to education and bodily autonomy”.

Furthermore, “the high cost of menstrual products adds to the additional family costs and burden due to one’s disability; reason why throughout this project, our association, Handicapés et Fiers, seeks to denounce the invisibility of the specific needs of women with disabilities in education for menstrual dignity and justice, including other means of disability friendly communications such as developing educational materials in braille, sign language, or an easy-to-read format. 

The intersectional approach of the Sang pour Sang project recognizes that these oppressions accumulate and require coordinated responses to preserve menstrual dignity for all. 

The project is implemented across the regions of Littoral, Southwest, Northwest, and the Far North, and will employ innovative advocacy strategies, community engagement practices, learning and exchanges, as well as policy-shaping activities, storytelling, and research to ensure women, girls, and young people in all their diversity can exercise their right to menstruate with dignity.