Ghanaian “gods” Ban Schoolgirls from Crossing a River During Menstruation Period

Ghanaian school girls in the Ashanti region which is located around River Ofin have been banned from crossing the river when they are in Menstruation periods and also on Tuesdays.

The ban which has been made by the so called “river god” has since faced criticism in the country especially from children activists organizations saying the girls have the right to cross the river even when in periods just to get to their respective schools.

The UN`s scientific and education organization, Unesco, estimates one in 10 girls in the region does not attend school because they are menstruating,while World Bank report notes that 11.5m Ghanaian women lack the appropriate hygiene and sanitation management facilities needed.

Unicef`s menstrual hygiene ambassador Shamima Muslim Alhassan told BBC Pidgin that the directive, which applies to part of river Ofin, violated the rights of girls to education.

“Sometimes i think that we need to ask for some form of accountability from these gods who continue to bar a lot of things from happening, to account for how they have used the tremendous power that we have given them.”

Central Region Minister Kwamena Duncan has indicated he will work with the Ashanti regional minister to find a solution to the ban.

Ghana is already having problems keeping students in school during menstruation, as a lack of access to sanitary products makes attending school during a period difficult.