Mrs Cecilia Senoo, the Executive Director, Hope for Future Generations (HFFG), on Tuesday urged government to include menstrual health and hygiene in COVID-19 emergency response to meet the health, dignity and educational needs of girls and women.

She also called on the government to remove taxes on menstrual products to ensure they are affordable and accessible to all girls.

"Let us ensure access to menstrual products and safe water, soap and period-friendly sanitation facilities at home and in school so women and girls can manage their periods safely, hygienically and with dignity wherever they are," she said.

Mrs Senoo made the call at the presentation of 1,000 pieces of sanitary pad to Padiatorkpe District Authority Basic School and the Kajanya community in Ada in the Greater Accra Region.

She said HFFG was embarking on a Menstrual Hygiene Intervention in all the 16 Regions christened "Pads for Girls Everywhere" with a key focus on girls living with disabilities and girls from underserved communities.

The project seeks to raise three million sanitary pads to support over 500,000 girls in the country and promote good menstrual hygiene management for girls, both in school and out of school.

It also seek to break the silence and change the negative social norms around menstruation and engage decision-makers, traditional leaders and opinion leaders to increase the political priority for Menstrual Hygiene at all levels and educate and encourage boys on the need to support girls to manage menstruation effectively.

Naana Adiki Manyeyo Adi I, Queen of Adibiawe Clan in Ada, educated the girls and women in the community on the need to observe good personal hygiene.

Mr David Tetteh Numo, the Headmaster, Padiatorke D/A Basic School thanked the organisation for the gesture and hope the items would help girls who could not afford pads to manage their menstrual health.

Miss Berlinda Tetteh Kokue, a pupil of Padiatorke D/A Bsaic School, said even though she used pads, the items would help some of the girls since some use toilet rolls, graphic newspapers or rag for their menstrual cycles.