As we mark Women’s Day, Kenya must ask itself, ‘Are we truly creating equal opportunities for women, or are we merely forcing them to adapt to systems designed by and for men?’
In Zambia, women are granted one day of menstrual leave per month, commonly referred to as "Mother’s Day."
This is a labor law that acknowledges the physical and emotional toll of menstruation and it gives women one day off of work to care for themselves without the fear of stigma or job security.
This law is a profound step towards achieving gender equality in workplaces in Zambia and any manager who contradicts this law is entitled to legal reprimand.
Kenya on the other hand, has yet to adopt such progressive policies towards care for its women and even girls of the reproductive age.
Discussions around menstruation have been stigmatized yet women go through the process amidst factors like period poverty, period shaming, lack of safe lavatories and clean water for women and girls.
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In February 2023, Senator Gloria Orwoba was kicked out of the Senate chambers for “disrespecting” the conduct of the chambers after showing up in a soiled suit.
Senator Gloria Orwoba faced backlash from fellow members including her female counterparts and her name was dragged in the mud on social media, cyberbullied and she also received sexual violence threats from that incident.
Despite the shaming and being ousted from the Senate session, she boldly gave a press briefing in her bloody suit. To her, it was more than seeking attention, to Orwoba that was a moment to open up conversations about menstrual health on behalf of underrepresented women and girls.
To her, showing up in Senate in a bloody suit and demanding to be heard was just the beginning of her drive towards reforms that will promote menstrual hygiene. That moment was not just about one woman, it was a reflection of how unprepared our society is to accommodate the realities of women's lives.
Rather than bow to the stigma, Senator Orwoba turned the incident into an advocacy moment. She launched initiatives aimed at eradicating period shame, including lobbying for free sanitary pads for schoolgirls and policies that address menstrual hygiene management.
Her push for the Menstrual Health Management Bill sought to make sanitary products more accessible and ensure that menstruation is treated as a public health issue rather than a source of shame for women and girls.
In her quest for equality, she also led the fight against period poverty by advocating for government-funded distribution of menstrual products in schools and public institutions.
However, her activism has faced resistance, many have dismissed her efforts terming them as publicity seeking, and this is a clear revelation of just how deeply entrenched menstrual stigma remains a nightmare for women and young girls in Kenya.
It is ironical that Kenya prides itself on being progressive on gender rights yet the people still struggle with most basic forms of inclusivity like recognizing and giving priority to menstruation as a normal biological process that affects women who form the majority of the population.
This is where Kenya can learn from Zambia. Recognizing menstrual leave is not about giving women "special treatment" it is about acknowledging biological realities, both emotional and physical toll that men do not experience.
Just like maternity leave is necessary for mothers, menstrual leave would guarantee that women are not forced to work through unbearable period pain or discomfort just to prove their competence in male-dominated fields.
Away from menstrual leave, Zambia’s policies also highlight the crucial need for a broader cultural shift in how we address women’s health issues in Kenya. Schools, workplaces, homes and political spaces should normalize and give priority to conversations about menstruation without stigma.
Providing free or subsidized menstrual products, guaranteeing clean and private sanitation facilities, ensuring women and girls have reliable access to safe clean water and implementing policies that support rather than shame women should be non-negotiable in a country that claims to champion gender equality.
As we mark Women’s Day, Kenya must ask itself, ‘Are we truly creating equal opportunities for women, or are we merely forcing them to adapt to systems designed by and for men?’
Zambia has taken a step forward. It’s time for Kenya to catch up.
