02 Mar 2026

In a move to breakdown stigma and promote understanding on girls’ experiences, boys at Mosidi Primary school were drilled on menstrual cycle, which normally occurs after puberty transition stage.

This developed during mobilisation of International Women’s Day commemoration scheduled for March 8.

According to the District Principal Health Education Technician, Ms Jacqueline Medupe, awareness about menstruation on the boy child was key.

She cautioned boys about mocking the girl child whilst having their menstrual cycle.

“It is not a laughing matter,” she said, indicating that boys should be prepared to be supportive and understand issues concerning menstrual cycle.

Ms Medupe put emphasis that they should be allies and create a more inclusive environment.

Proper hygiene during menstruation is very critical as it breaks taboos and make it easier for girls to manage with confidence.

Demonstration on the use of sanitary pads during menstruation also prepares the boy child to know what to do in the process.

Girls were implored to speak up and seek proper support from their mothers as failure to inform parents could lead to use of unsafe alternatives, such as homemade sanitary pads, raising concern on its cleanliness.

She further cautioned the female pupils to be vigilant against being snared by men into sexual actions further highlighting that such actions had high potential of terminating the girl child’s rights to education.

Ms Medupe indicated that Kanye District had teenage pregnancies from 10 to 14 year olds, hence the campaign on teenage pregnancies held recently.

The girl child, she said, was also prone to sexually transmitted diseases.

She urged the learners that they should desist from use of drugs and alcohol as it endangered their destiny. 

She said they could be charged with possession.

She also highlighted the offense of cultivation of dagga plant,saying that even if children were involved in caring for it, they would be charged with the cultivation offense through the aid of a social worker.

Meanwhile presenting on children’s rights, law, and offenses committed against children, Sejelo Police’s Narcotics, Faun and Flora Investivations unit, Detective Constable Doreen Kaumba encouraged learners to shun use of drugs and alcohol as it endangered their destiny. 

She said they could be charged with possession including being aware of the existence of such drugs in case of their availability in households by relatives.

She highlighted that cultivation of dagga plant was an offense warning that those who engaged children to care for it, would be charged through the aid of a social worker.

Furthermore, child negligence is said be a challenge as most of them were kept at the ploughing fields, rendering the girl child vulnerable.

The Women Sector Coordinator, Mr Kabelo Tsiang from the Department of Youth and Gender had earlier on highlighted on the objectives of the upcoming International Women’s day which he said were to promote women’s rights and their access to justice and economic empowerment.

He further said the event would help to recognise and celebrate women and girls as agents of development.

He also encouraged the mobilisation of partnerships across government, the private sector and civil society and development partners.

He further said it will help to engage men, boys’ traditional leaders and communities in advancing gender equality and preventing gender – based violence. ENDS