IN CONVERSATION WITH MADEILENE HICKLIN (MPL DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Health).
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Women’s Month in South Africa is both a celebration of progress and a reminder of the challenges that continue to confront women and girls—particularly in the areas of reproductive health and period poverty.
Conversations with women working in healthcare, business, and community initiatives reveal a shared message: while progress has been made, critical gaps remain.
Barriers to Reproductive Healthcare
According to Tania Joffe, Principal and CEO of Unu Health, one of the greatest challenges women face is accessibility.
For many women living outside major cities, reproductive healthcare comes at a high cost. Travelling long distances to reach clinics often means losing work hours, arranging childcare, and paying transport fees—barriers that persist even when services are free at public facilities.
Added to this are the stigma and shame surrounding contraceptives, which discourage women—especially young girls—from seeking ongoing care.
The disparities between urban and rural areas are stark.
• In cities, women often have more choices, better-resourced clinics, and digital tools such as telemedicine apps.
• In rural communities, clinics are understaffed, under-resourced, and hampered by poor connectivity, leaving women excluded from digital healthcare options.
Education remains another major barrier. Myths and misconceptions about contraceptives—such as the belief that they cause infertility—continue to shape decisions in many communities. Cultural norms that place family planning solely on women also create a climate of silence and fear.
Digital healthcare solutions, Joffe argues, could help bridge the gap by offering safe and private consultations, prescriptions, and follow-up care in underserved areas.
Period Poverty: More Than a Lack of Pads
The issue of period poverty extends beyond material shortages. Ramona Kasavan, CEO of Mimi, highlights the reality she witnessed in Limpopo, where over 2,000 schools still lack proper toilets and running water.
With no access to sanitary products, many girls rely on old clothes, socks, or rags to manage menstruation—risking both infection and humiliation. But Kasavan stresses that stigma and shame are equally damaging.
Girls often hide their periods out of embarrassment, leading to bullying, absenteeism, and declining confidence. Many avoid drinking water to escape using unhygienic toilets, which causes dehydration and affects concentration. The result is hundreds of missed school days each year, setting girls back academically.
Kasavan calls for joint solutions between government, private companies, and communities:
• Corporate sponsorships for sanitary bins and clean toilets.
• School-based menstrual health education.
• Broader cultural change to normalise menstruation and end stigma.
Grassroots Solutions and Education
At the community level, Sue Barnes, KwaZulu-Natal fashion designer and founder of Subz Pads, tackles period poverty through sustainable, reusable sanitary pads that last up to five years.
Her work goes beyond product distribution—it restores confidence and dignity. Barnes points out that financial constraints, lack of access to shops, and limited education on menstruation remain huge obstacles.
She believes government and corporate support is vital in scaling affordable, sustainable sanitary solutions. Importantly, she stresses that education must include boys as well as girls, to foster respect and dismantle stigma around menstruation.
A Call to Action
The statistics are sobering: in some regions, up to 45% of girls miss school due to period poverty. At the same time, reproductive healthcare remains unevenly distributed, contributing to high rates of teenage pregnancy and limited contraceptive use.
As South Africa observes Women’s Month, it is important not only to honour the resilience of women confronting these challenges daily but also to act:
• Support initiatives that provide sanitary products.
• Advocate for healthcare policies that prioritise dignity and access
Conversations with women working in healthcare, business, and community initiatives reveal a shared message: while progress has been made, critical gaps remain.
Barriers to Reproductive Healthcare
According to Tania Joffe, Principal and CEO of Unu Health, one of the greatest challenges women face is accessibility.
For many women living outside major cities, reproductive healthcare comes at a high cost. Travelling long distances to reach clinics often means losing work hours, arranging childcare, and paying transport fees—barriers that persist even when services are free at public facilities.
Added to this are the stigma and shame surrounding contraceptives, which discourage women—especially young girls—from seeking ongoing care.
The disparities between urban and rural areas are stark.
• In cities, women often have more choices, better-resourced clinics, and digital tools such as telemedicine apps.
• In rural communities, clinics are understaffed, under-resourced, and hampered by poor connectivity, leaving women excluded from digital healthcare options.
Education remains another major barrier. Myths and misconceptions about contraceptives—such as the belief that they cause infertility—continue to shape decisions in many communities. Cultural norms that place family planning solely on women also create a climate of silence and fear.
Digital healthcare solutions, Joffe argues, could help bridge the gap by offering safe and private consultations, prescriptions, and follow-up care in underserved areas.
Period Poverty: More Than a Lack of Pads
The issue of period poverty extends beyond material shortages. Ramona Kasavan, CEO of Mimi, highlights the reality she witnessed in Limpopo, where over 2,000 schools still lack proper toilets and running water.
With no access to sanitary products, many girls rely on old clothes, socks, or rags to manage menstruation—risking both infection and humiliation. But Kasavan stresses that stigma and shame are equally damaging.
Girls often hide their periods out of embarrassment, leading to bullying, absenteeism, and declining confidence. Many avoid drinking water to escape using unhygienic toilets, which causes dehydration and affects concentration. The result is hundreds of missed school days each year, setting girls back academically.
Kasavan calls for joint solutions between government, private companies, and communities:
• Corporate sponsorships for sanitary bins and clean toilets.
• School-based menstrual health education.
• Broader cultural change to normalise menstruation and end stigma.
Grassroots Solutions and Education
At the community level, Sue Barnes, KwaZulu-Natal fashion designer and founder of Subz Pads, tackles period poverty through sustainable, reusable sanitary pads that last up to five years.
Her work goes beyond product distribution—it restores confidence and dignity. Barnes points out that financial constraints, lack of access to shops, and limited education on menstruation remain huge obstacles.
She believes government and corporate support is vital in scaling affordable, sustainable sanitary solutions. Importantly, she stresses that education must include boys as well as girls, to foster respect and dismantle stigma around menstruation.
A Call to Action
The statistics are sobering: in some regions, up to 45% of girls miss school due to period poverty. At the same time, reproductive healthcare remains unevenly distributed, contributing to high rates of teenage pregnancy and limited contraceptive use.
As South Africa observes Women’s Month, it is important not only to honour the resilience of women confronting these challenges daily but also to act:
• Support initiatives that provide sanitary products.
• Advocate for healthcare policies that prioritise dignity and access
