Breaking Barriers: How UNATU is Advancing Menstrual Health, Girls’ Education and Gender Equality

28 May 2026

On World Menstrual Hygiene and Health Day, the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) joins the global call for a period-friendly world where menstruation is understood, managed with dignity and never becomes a source of shame, exclusion or discrimination.

For UNATU, menstrual health is closely linked to girls’ education, gender equality, child protection and safe learning environments. Through teacher empowerment, community engagement and strategic partnerships, the union continues to support schools and communities in ensuring that every learner, especially adolescent girls, can participate fully in education.

Working alongside the Ministry of Education and Sports and other stakeholders, UNATU promotes gender-responsive approaches that place teachers at the centre of creating inclusive and supportive schools.

Empowering Educators to End Child Labour and Support Girls’ Education

Through the Work: No Child’s Business Child Labour Project, UNATU equips teachers with skills to identify, prevent and respond to child labour. The initiative strengthens collaboration between schools, parents and communities to ensure children remain in school and are protected from exploitation.

The project also creates opportunities to address barriers that affect girls’ education, including menstrual hygiene and health challenges. Lack of sanitary materials, inadequate information and persistent stigma can contribute to absenteeism and reduced participation among adolescent girls.

By strengthening community awareness and school support systems, the project helps create environments where girls can continue learning with confidence and dignity while enjoying their right to education.

Structural Women Empowerment: The UNATU-CTF Female Scholarship Programme

A key component of UNATU’s gender equality agenda is the UNATU-Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF) Female Scholarship Programme. The initiative supports female teachers to advance their education, strengthen their professional skills and take on leadership roles within the education sector.

The programme has achieved a 100 percent completion rate and has significantly contributed to women’s empowerment. Beneficiaries have gained confidence, improved their qualifications and increased their participation in leadership and decision-making spaces.

Many of these women have become strong advocates for girls’ education and gender equality within their schools and communities. Their leadership has helped challenge harmful stereotypes and encourage conversations on issues affecting women and girls, including menstrual health and school retention.

The programme’s impact is reflected in the career progression of its beneficiaries. Of the first ten teachers supported, five have already advanced into management positions, demonstrating the value of investing in women educators as leaders and role models.

Professional Solidarity Through the Teaching Together Programme

UNATU’s commitment to inclusive education is further strengthened through the Teaching Together Programme, implemented in partnership with the Canadian Teachers’ Federation.

The programme promotes gender-responsive teaching practices and supports educators to create classrooms where all learners feel respected and valued. Through training and professional development workshops, teachers learn how to address bias, encourage equal participation and respond to the diverse needs of learners.

The programme also contributes to menstrual health awareness by helping teachers better support learners during adolescence. Educators are encouraged to facilitate respectful discussions around puberty, personal hygiene and reproductive health while addressing misconceptions and stigma surrounding menstruation.

By equipping teachers with practical knowledge and skills, the programme helps create learning environments where girls feel safe, supported and able to participate fully in school life.

The Simameni Project: Supporting Girls’ Transition and Retention

The Simameni Project, implemented in the Western and Teso regions, demonstrates UNATU’s commitment to improving girls’ access to education and supporting their retention and transition through school.

The project focuses on strengthening teacher capacity, promoting community engagement and addressing barriers that affect girls’ educational outcomes. It also supports child protection mechanisms that help keep girls in school.

One of the project’s most notable achievements has been its approach to menstrual hygiene management. Through Simameni, both boys and girls were trained to make reusable sanitary towels using locally available materials. This practical intervention addressed affordability challenges while promoting sustainability.

Importantly, involving boys helped reduce stigma and encouraged understanding, empathy and shared responsibility. By treating menstrual health as a community issue rather than solely a girls’ issue, the project contributed to creating more supportive school environments and improving awareness beyond the classroom.

Holistic Health, Mental Wellness and Safe School Environments

UNATU recognises that educational success depends on both academic achievement and wellbeing. Through school clubs and learner support initiatives, the union promotes safe spaces where young people can discuss personal development, mental health and life challenges.

These platforms are particularly important for adolescent girls who may face difficulties related to menstruation, self-esteem and social pressures. Open dialogue helps learners build confidence, access accurate information and seek support when needed.

The union has also prioritised efforts to address School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV) and strengthen Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) frameworks. In addition, UNATU has expanded its Women’s Round Table Conferences to include male teachers and leaders, promoting shared responsibility in advancing gender equality and creating respectful learning environments.

UNATU’s Call on World Menstrual Hygiene and Health Day

As the world commemorates Menstrual Hygiene and Health Day on 28 May 2025, UNATU reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that menstruation never becomes a barrier to education, participation or opportunity.

Through initiatives such as the Child Labour Project, the UNATU-CTF Female Scholarship Programme, the Teaching Together Programme, the Simameni Project and ongoing efforts to address SRGBV and strengthen MHPSS, UNATU continues to champion the wellbeing of learners and teachers across Uganda.

A period-friendly school is one where girls have access to accurate information, supportive teachers, safe spaces and respectful peers. It is a school where stigma is challenged, boys are encouraged to be supportive allies and every learner can participate with confidence and dignity.

On this World Menstrual Hygiene and Health Day, UNATU celebrates the teachers, learners, communities and partners who continue to break barriers and advance menstrual health, gender equality and inclusive education for all.

Compiled by:
Aja Joan
Gender Officer
Uganda National Teachers’ Union

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