Let’s talk periods: AHF South Africa champions Menstrual Health Day

Mark your calendars: 28 May is Menstrual Health Day, and this year, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) South Africa is using the occasion to spark a national conversation that’s long overdue.

Their message? Menstrual health matters – and it affects everything from education to mental wellbeing to HIV risk.

Through a powerful nationwide campaign, AHF South Africa is tackling the tough stuff: period poverty, stigma, mental health, father inclusion, and the link between menstruation and HIV vulnerability. And they’re doing it with creativity, compassion, and a clear call to action: menstruation should never be a barrier to dignity, education, or opportunity.

“No girl should have to endure an undignified menstrual experience or miss school because she cannot access sanitary products,” says Ngaa Murombedzi, AHF’s Regional Advocacy and Policy Manager for Southern Africa. “Menstruation is a natural bodily process, yet too often it’s treated as a shameful secret.”

Period poverty is a public health issue

For many girls and young women in South Africa, and across sub-Saharan Africa, lack of access to sanitary pads can mean missing school every month. Fall behind often enough, and it’s easy to see how dropout rates rise.

This, in turn, increases the risk of transactional or intergenerational sex, which compromises young women’s ability to negotiate safer sex – and raises their risk of acquiring HIV.

Globally, AHF’s work around Menstrual Health Day forms part of their broader prevention strategy, one that links access to menstrual products with sexual and reproductive health education, free HIV testing, condoms, and essential healthcare.

“We can protect girls’ health, boost their confidence, and safeguard their futures,” Murombedzi adds, “by promoting menstrual dignity, providing access to affordable or free sanitary products, and fostering open, inclusive dialogue.”

Breaking the taboo, province by province

This year, AHF South Africa is going big – with events planned across multiple provinces to engage young people and families alike. From art and quizzes to forums and workshops, the events are all about education through empowerment.

Here’s what’s happening around the country:

Eastern Cape:
A lively community event will include a fun race, dance, art activities, and a menstrual health quiz – sparking open conversations between boys and girls.

KwaZulu-Natal:
A safe-space workshop will unite boys and girls to talk about menstruation, hygiene, HIV prevention, and the importance of period dignity in schools and communities.

Gauteng:
A unique father-daughter forum will encourage male guardians to step up and support their daughters’ menstrual health, with open dialogue and free HIV/STI screenings for men.

Mpumalanga:
Hosting its first-ever Menstrual Health Day event, the province will focus on orphaned and vulnerable youth with creative sessions and sanitary pad distribution to champion menstrual equity for all.

It’s time to talk

Beyond these events, AHF is calling on policymakers, communities, and partners to do their part. Because menstrual health isn’t just a “women’s issue” – it’s a human rights issue.

Their ask? Support the free distribution of sanitary products in schools and clinics, ensure menstrual education is included in school curriculums for all genders, and promote community conversations that include boys and men.

“This is as crucial as improving HIV prevention in young women and girls,” says Murombedzi.

At its heart, this campaign is about making sure that everyone who menstruates can do so with dignity, without shame, and without missing out on life’s opportunities.

So this 28 May, let’s talk periods – openly, honestly, and inclusively. Because menstrual health is everyone’s business.