Nearly a decade after President Yoweri Museveni’s unfulfilled promise to provide sanitary pads to all school-going girls in Uganda, the government has admitted it cannot meet this commitment due to economic constraints.
The revelation came from Gender Minister Betty Amongi in response to concerns raised by Luwero District Woman MP Brenda Nabukenya over the lack of sanitary towels for incarcerated women in prisons across the country.
Speaking during a parliamentary debate to commemorate International Women’s Day, Nabukenya highlighted the dire situation faced by female inmates, many of whom go without sanitary pads unless their families provide them.
“We have women in prisons who don’t have access to sanitary pads. I have met several who say that when they are in their periods, they can only get sanitary towels when their families bring them. The Ministry needs to visit prisons and ensure that these women access everything they need because they have no control over their situation,” Nabukenya said.
She urged the government to prioritise the provision of sanitary towels for incarcerated women, emphasising that menstrual hygiene is a basic human right.
However, Minister Amongi admitted that the government is not in a position to fulfill this commitment, citing the country’s tough economic conditions.
This admission has added to growing frustrations over the government’s failure to address menstrual health challenges for vulnerable women and girls. While sanitary pads are a necessity, many Ugandan women—especially those in disadvantaged communities and prisons—continue to struggle with access, affecting their health and dignity.
As the country marks International Women’s Day, activists and lawmakers are calling for urgent government intervention to ensure no woman or girl is deprived of this basic need.