Basic Education Deputy Minister, Dr Reginah Mhaule, supported by Mr Likho Bottoman, Director, Social Cohesion and Equity in Education, this week, briefed the Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) on the progress made in reviewing the implementation of the Menstrual Health Management and Sanitary Dignity Programme (SDP) for the 2025/26 Financial Year, with a progress update on recommendations proposed by the Committee since the last briefing on 17 March 2026.
The SDP was launched by the DWYPD in 2019 as its custodian, funded through National Treasury and monitored against the Sanitary Dignity Framework as a rights-based priority linked to dignity, education and gender equality for indigent girl learners to manage menstruation safely and attend school uninterrupted. The briefing was led by Ms Liezl van der Merwe, Portfolio Committee Chairperson for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities.
Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Minister, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga, said that that sanitary dignity was not merely a health intervention, but a social justice intervention to alleviate period poverty. The Sanitary Dignity Programme, implemented across all nine provinces, has provided free sanitary products to Grades 4–12 girl learners in Quintiles 1–3, special and farm schools, leading to improved school attendance and performance; and restored dignity and hygiene.
The Department of Social Development provided an overview of the SDP implementation by the Provincial Departments of Social Development in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Western Cape Provinces. The DBE, supported by Provincial Education Departments (PEDs), provided an overview on the programme in the Northern Cape, North West, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and Limpopo Provinces. It was agreed that the following should be addressed: insufficient budgets and uneven expenditure across PEDs; procurement delays; monitoring; WASH and disposal management; and Committee functionality to strengthen participation in the National Task Teams and for Provincial Sanitary Dignity Committees to meet on a quarterly basis; and for public-private partnerships to be expanded to reach learners excluded by budget limits.
Mr Bottoman stressed that the DBE has developed Menstrual Health Management Guidelines to support schools in implementing effective and dignified responses. Menstrual health is also embedded in the curriculum particularly through Life Skills and Life Orientation. This is further strengthened through Comprehensive Sexuality Education which equips learners with knowledge, values and skills necessary to safeguard their health and wellbeing. The DBE also leverages existing frameworks like the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (CSTL) framework to enhance WASH implementation.
Deputy Minister Mhaule hosted a Gala Dinner with Business on A Shared Agenda on Menstrual Health and Sanitary Dignity, supported by the Deputy Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, under the theme: “Towards Period-friendly Schools for a Period-friendly World” on 18 June 2026. This was in response to the Parliamentary Colloquium on Menstrual Health and Sanitary Dignity to bring business partners on board. The SDP programme remains a dignified lifeline for many young schoolgirls and the intergovernmental approach is essential to enhance reach and address gaps for stronger multi-departmental coordination and partnership as government works towards universal access.