FEATURE: UNTOLD STORIES OF GIRLS WITH DISABILITY IN AMURU

While already dealing with the daily struggles brought on by their disabilities, many of them lack the support and care they need during this sensitive and vulnerable time.

Lucy Langec, a resident of Gaya Village and mother of a girl with a disability, shared some of the challenges they face in caring for individuals with disabilities during their menstruation.
She explained that while they always try to provide what is necessary, financial difficulties sometimes prevent them from purchasing sanitary pads, especially due to lack of support from willing persons or institutions.

“Sometimes, while you may be outside in the garden, a child with disability at home might have soiled herself, and there’s no one available to help clean her. In some tragic cases, men take advantage of these vulnerable moments to sexually abuse girls with disabilities during their menstrual periods, leading to pregnancy. This only adds to the many challenges these girls are already facing during menstruation. Therefore, it is important to encourage men to actively support persons with disabilities. They should not avoid their responsibilities at home but instead be fully involved in their care, protection, and wellbeing” Langec emphasized.

Peace Anena, a person living with disability, shared that one of the biggest challenges they face during menstruation is discrimination.

She explained that some people with paralysis in their hands such as those with cerebral palsy or spinal cord injuries are unable to open sanitary pads or position them properly in their underwear without assistance.

However, during such times, their caregivers sometimes refuse to help, leaving them in unhygienic conditions that can lead to urinary tract infections due to poor menstrual hygiene.

She added that others struggle with maintaining skin integrity because they are forced to remain in wet pads for long periods, as they cannot change them independently. “For girls and women with visual impairments or low vision, it is very difficult to tell when their period starts. Checking for leaks and positioning the sanitary pad correctly is also a major challenge,” Peace explained.

She continued noting that many public places still lack accessible washrooms for people with physical disabilities. “Most of the facilities available are not accessible to wheelchair users,” she said while appealing to the government and development partners to support girls and women with disabilities by constructing inclusive facilities and provide training on how to make reusable sanitary pads.

According to Peace, such efforts should also be extended to schools and communities to raise awareness about the challenges faced by girls and women with disabilities and promote understanding and inclusion.

Ronald Olobo Acila, who works with Women and Children First Organization (WACFO) based in Pabo Town Council as the Program Head for Health and Education says as organization, they stepped in to extend a helping hand to girls and women living with disabilities, specifically in relation to menstrual hygiene because following their research they realized that at times, people tend to forget about people with disabilities and don’t provide all the necessity for their wellbeing more especially girls.

"One of the major challenges that led us to intervene is the high rate of school dropout among girls with disabilities. We observed that many of these girls tend to drop out of school when they begin menstruating, largely because most schools lack accessible and adequate sanitary facilities to support them during this time," Ronald said.

He added that when it comes to menstruation, many schools still lack the necessary facilities for girls with disabilities to manage their periods with dignity. This gap inspired them to launch an initiative aimed at supporting girls and women with disabilities.

As part of the program, teachers are being trained on how to make reusable sanitary pads from cloth, so they can pass on these skills to learners in their respective schools ensuring that all girls, whether able bodied or with disabilities, can manage their menstrual hygiene confidently and safely.

Joan Awory, who works with Katalemwa Cheshire Home for Rehabilitation Services as the Coordinator for Menstrual Hygiene Project, says that many people in the community tend to discriminate against individuals with disabilities most especially during their menstrual period and they don’t expect those with disabilities to experience menstruation, not realizing that it is a natural part of life for all women whether they are disabled or not.

“These individuals may need extra support, they need access to a private changing space and guidance on how to manage personal hygiene. For example, a girl without a limb might struggle to put on a pad or clean herself properly. If she's a school going girl, she could end up missing school simply because she doesn't have the lower limb, is always seated, and her clothes get soiled due to a lack of knowledge on how to manage her menstruation. This is why it's something every society must embrace because persons with disabilities have the same potential and abilities as anyone else,” she said.

She added that most people are shy to talk about menstruation within the family and community, yet it is a very important and sensitive issue that every woman experiences until menopause.

Therefore, all girls—regardless of their physical appearance or ability—should be informed about it, so they understand and are prepared for what they will go through.

According to some community members, most families provide little to no assistance, leaving these girls and women without access to basic menstrual hygiene products such as sanitary pads.

As a result, they are forced to rely on unsafe or uncomfortable alternatives, which puts their health at risk and undermines their dignity, confidence, and ability to fully participate in daily life so there is an urgent need for increased awareness, community support, and targeted interventions to ensure that no woman or girl is left behind simply because of her disability because menstrual health is a right, not a privilege.