By Lucianne limo

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has directed the Ministry of Finance to provide funds for sanitary towels for school girls from poor families.

The PM also asked the ministries of Public Health and Education to ensure teenage girls in public schools get this essential commodity.

Raila said he was saddened by reports that most underprivileged girls continue to miss school due to lack of sanitary pads. Consequently, he directed Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta to include budgetary provisions for sanitary towels in the Budget to be read next month.

"Starting July 1, sanitary towels must be provided to all schools," he announced, during the first Prime Minister’s roundtable meeting on gender at Kenyatta International Conference Centre, on Tuesday.

Unicef say poor schoolgirls miss up to 40 school days a year due to their menstrual cycle since most of them do not have access to proper sanitary pads or underwear.

Raila said it was unacceptable for girls to drop out of school due to lack of sanitary pads thereby making them vulnerable.

Call to women

"The most effective tool for overcoming the challenges facing the girl-child is education. Education provides a unique avenue of empowering women to overcome their socio-economic challenges," Raila said.

The PM told women leaders that although the Constitution provides many gains for them, that is yet to be translated into action.

"We must help our women navigate their way around the old boys network that has held a tight grip on our national affairs," he said.

He also noted that as much the new law has significant gains towards empowering women, a lot remains to be done to attain equity. "Some of our fine laws on gender violence have barely worked for our women and security agents are still insensitive to women especially in cases of gender violence and rape," he said. He urged the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution to speed up Bills on police reforms.

"The police are still operating on the colonial mindset. When a woman reports domestic violence against her, she is asked to go back and come with the man who has just battered her," he said.

Norwegian ambassador Ludvig Magnus warned that Kenya is headed for a constitutional crisis if the required female representation in public appointments is not achieved.