Putting Men in Menstrual Health
“When you lift up women, you lift up humanity,” said Melinda French Gates.
William Osal, Country Manager of Uganda at Days for Girls, excellently encapsulates this statement. William has dedicated his entire career to lifting individuals, especially women and girls.
After completing his education, William went into social work, working at NGOs and promoting the right to education for young people in his country. While in this role, he was surprised to see the poor rate of girls continuing their education. For example, 40% of female students do not complete primary school, with many girls attributing their scholastic absence to menstrual health-related factors. Seeing this statistic, William knew that families do not regularly prioritize menstrual health when money is tight in a household. Instead, caregivers and parents will generally prioritize providing basic necessities such as food and shelter.
With a desire to make a positive difference in the lives of these girls, in 2021, William joined DfG as a program manager. He worked with teams to develop, design, and implement menstrual health (MH) projects within Uganda. One example of this is an ECHO (European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations) funded project that helped female refugees – primarily from Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan – have increased access to MH products and education.
William also believes that the most crucial reason why everyone, aside from just people who menstruate, should care about MH is because, “we all exist because of menstruation, so we all need to discuss it together as humans.” He additionally acknowledges that, as a man in this space, he must balance the role of being an MH advocate and a listener and support to those who menstruate.
In recent years, William has worked to include men and boys in MH conversations, viewing them as essential allies. Their inclusion is significant since, in Uganda, men often control the home finances and dominate decision-making in areas of policy and government. However, when they are equipped with an accurate understanding of MH, men can act as changemakers to shatter MH stigmas and create equitable period policies.
DfG includes men in the conversation through our “Men Who Know” program which recognizes the importance of men and boys being partners and advocates for MH. The “Men Who Know” curriculum focuses on topics including the female reproductive system, handwashing and hygiene, and ways men can be advocates for people who menstruate.
Incorporating men into the conversation is not DfG’s only work in Uganda, though. As country manager for DfG in Uganda, William oversees the production and distribution of locally-made washable pad Kits; the spread of holistic, accurate, culturally-appropriate MH dedication; and advocacy efforts, namely a national steering committee focused on promoting issues related to MH policy.
One of the most successful projects William worked on was in the Dokokolo district where DfG in Uganda supplied over 1,000 students with washable pads and MH education over the course of four years. Within that time, the number of girls attending school ended up surpassing the number of boys.
Despite the progress made during William's time at DfG, he recognizes that “There is such an overwhelming need.” Yet William is determined to meet this need. Looking ahead, he aims to reach up to 1,000,000 girls in Uganda with MH education and products. His second goal is to further support the integration of water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities within schools and districts.
“Menstrual Health shouldn’t be just viewed as any other activity or aspect of life,” William emphasized. His words highlight the need for a broader perspective that includes everyone—even men and boys—in MH conversations. By involving the entire community in these efforts, we can break down stigma, foster understanding, and create a more supportive environment for women and girls. In Uganda and beyond, engaging men as advocates and allies is essential to building a world where menstruation is understood, respected, and supported by all.
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*The World Bank. (n.d.). Population, female (% of total population) – UGANDA. The World Bank | Data. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/S P.POP.TOTL.FE.ZS?locations=UG
