Taxpayers to fund sanitary towels in proposed Bill

Taxpayers may soon have to dig deeper into their pockets if a proposed bill to foot the sanitary towels expenses for school-going girls who have attained the puberty age sails through Parliament.

The proposed law will see Treasury compelled to “allocate funds for the acquisition of sanitary towels while preparing budget estimates”.

The Basic Education Amendment Bill, 2016 fronted by Baringo Woman Representative, Grace Kiptui, further places the mandate to distribute the towels to various schools to the Ministry of Education.

“The government to provide free sanitary towels to every girl child upon attaining puberty,” reads the Bill in part.

The proposed legislation, if it becomes a law, is aimed at reducing the number of school drop-outs due to lack of sanitary pads during menstruation period.

Statistics indicate that majority of girls miss classes and subsequently drop out of school for lack of the pads.

Clause 3 of the proposal seeks to amend 88 (2) of the Principal Act to effect the same.

According to the Bill, only girls in basic public education institution shall benefit from the same.

The National Assembly will debate the Bill currently in its First Reading stage, and will not be debated in the Senate since it will not affect counties.