Unemployment in Zimbabwe stands at around 90 per cent and millions live on under 50p a day, making it one of the harshest places to live in the world.

The women of Zimbabwe bear added consequence of the economic crisis, one that affects their health, education and threatens their dignity. For many ordinary women sanitary products are a ‘luxury’ that they can no longer afford or access, as many manufacturers have fled Zimbabwe causing shortages of the products.

The consequences

Women are being forced to take drastic measures. Newspaper, rags and in some cases even leaves and bark are used as a substitute to sanitary pads and tampons.

The associated health risks include vaginal infections that make women much more susceptible to sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. In extreme cases, unhygienic practices have lead to infertility or required hysterectomies. As medication is rarely available and these infections are often falsely attributed to sexually transmitted infections it can lead to social embarrassment and domestic violence.

Families suffer from increased poverty as mothers and wives are unable to work when they have their periods. This means that they are unable to buy food and clothes or finance their children's education. In addition girls are forced to take time off school whilst they have their period.

Millions of women and girls across Zimbabwe face unnecessary suffering and hardship, ACTSA campaigns to ensure that these women are afforded their most basic human rights.

The campaign

We work in partnership with and at the request of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) who support the rights of the women of Zimbabwe to have access to safe and hygienic sanitary protection every month. Together we campaign to raise awareness and funds to purchase and distribute products in Zimbabwe. The campaign distributes the products for free, through a partnership with the one remaining manufacturer in Harare.

Since launching Dignity! Period. in 2005, we have distributed more than six million sanitary products. In spite of recent political agreements though, there is still a real need for the campaign to distribute these products.

You can find out more about the campaign by reading our latest update on Dignity!

• Dignity! Period. summer update 2009

There are many ways you can support the campaign, visit the Dignity Get Involved section for ideas, or make a donation today.

Links

• Get involved with Dignity

• Testimonies

• Dignity! photos on flickr
  

• Dignity summer 2009 - update