Department of Basic Education
Multi Party Women’s Caucus
23 November 2016
Briefing on plans to implement the provision of free
sanitary products
Introduction
• The President declared in his State of the Nation
Address (SONA) in 2011 that the Government
should make available sanitary dignity packs to
deserving young girls and women.
• Various
initiatives
were undertaken
by
Government Departments, including DBE
• However, DBE, never took a strategic
intervention about the programme
• It was undertaken as a volunteer programme for
individual employees.
Context
• Department of Women is coordinating a
government committee and requested
departments to share how they responded to the
President’s call.
• Glaring weaknesses in terms of coordination
and guidance on the programme among
departments could be observed.
• Government indaba has been proposed to
strategize accordingly in relation to the
programme
Context
No evidence to support the belief that girls
miss school due to unavailability of
sanitary towels
Youth Risk Behaviour Survey 2011, Africa
Check does not support this belief
Currently, DBE cannot commit based on
the financial implications the programme
may carry
Further research could provide answers
Thanks
Website: www.education.gov.za
Call Centre: 0800 202 933 | [email protected]
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