Khumalo and ZCTU get celebrity backing for sanitary pad campaign

By Tererai Karimakwenda
08 May 2006

After receiving nothing but laughter from ZANU-PF members in parliament, the crisis faced by Zimbabwean women who have no sanitary pads has managed to get support from major celebrities based in the UK. Tabitha Khumalo, general secretary of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union’s women’s advisory council, has fought hard to bring some dignity to this very private issue of sanitary pads and tampons in Zimbabwe. She told us that they can be found in the shops but the majority of women cannot afford them. And the celebrities who are now organising a fundraiser that will provide pads for Zimbabwean women have also recognised the importance of this issue. Women are having to choose between food for their families and pads that are hygienic instead of newspapers and leaves.

The celebrity campaign is called "Dignity. Period!" And so far actors Anna Chancellor, Gillian Anderson, Prunella Scales and Jeremy Irons are involved. Stephen Fry will host the fundraiser later this month at which the project will be launched. There will be music, poetry, dance and an auction. Ms Khumalo told us the ball got rolling when she met Anna Chancellor and began talking about the un-affordability of pads in Zimbabwe. She said she explained how girls are staying out of school when they have their periods and how many are resorting to unhygienic means. Khumalo said: “All the money will go to buying sanitary pads and we would like to be able to give the women monthly supplies.”

Khumalo said a box of 20 tampons costs about Z$3 million. With inflation now at 1000% this figure goes up drastically every month. But the salaries do not increase to keep up. Khumalo said it would take most of many women’s salaries to buy just one box. When the issue was brought up in parliament last year ZANU-PF MPs laughed and did nothing to help. Then last month the government forced the ZCTU to pay billions of dollars in duty fees to bring in a shipment of pads that had been donated to help Zimbabwean women. But Khumalo never gave up.

The "Dignity. Period!" fundraiser is on May 26 th at the 20th Century theatre in Notting Hill, west London. Those wishing to help Zimbabwean women with this crucial issue should buy tickets and participate in the auctions at the event.