NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 2 – The government has called for increased investment in Kenya’s menstrual health sector, saying the country has the potential to develop it into a vibrant industry capable of creating jobs, driving innovation, and accelerating economic growth.
Speaking during the opening of the two-day Kenya Menstrual Economy Conference in Nairobi, State Department for Industry Principal Secretary Dr. Juma Mukhwana said menstruation should no longer be viewed solely as a health issue but also as a significant economic opportunity.
Dr. Mukhwana noted that the menstrual economy cuts across multiple sectors, including agriculture, textiles, manufacturing, research, innovation, logistics, waste management, and financial services.
“We must move beyond seeing menstruation as simply a biological function and prioritise initiatives that build a vibrant menstrual economy, which creates jobs, expands manufacturing, supports innovation, and ensures that every woman has access to affordable, safe, and quality menstrual health products,” he said.
The PS reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting local manufacturers through industrial policies, enterprise development programmes, and protection of innovations aimed at strengthening local production of menstrual health products.
He urged innovators to protect their intellectual property before commercialising their products and challenged entrepreneurs to focus on scaling up production and market penetration.
“The measure of success is not the number of exhibitions you attend, but the volume of products you sell,” he said.
Dr. Mukhwana further highlighted the government’s Buy Kenya, Build Kenya policy, which encourages public institutions to prioritise locally manufactured goods in procurement processes.
“We do not want to collect money from Kenyans only to spend it importing products that can be manufactured locally. We want that money to build industries, create jobs, and grow our economy,” he said.
He added that the government has established County Aggregation and Industrial Parks across the country to provide affordable production spaces for manufacturers and introduced incentives such as duty-free importation of manufacturing machinery to support industrial expansion.
The Industry PS also called for greater investment in environmentally friendly menstrual products and improved sanitation facilities in schools, stressing that access to clean toilets, water, and proper waste management systems is essential for effective menstrual hygiene management.
State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action Principal Secretary Anne Wang’ombe described menstrual health as an issue of dignity, gender equality, and human rights, urging manufacturers to lower the cost of sanitary towels to help address period poverty.
“Every month, millions of women and girls require safe, affordable, and quality menstrual products. Let us make sanitary towels affordable and of good quality so that we can significantly reduce period poverty,” she said.
Wang’ombe said the government continues to invest heavily in the National Government Sanitary Towels Programme, spending about Sh940 million annually to support vulnerable school-going girls.
However, she acknowledged that the demand for sanitary products continues to outstrip available resources and called for collaboration between government agencies, development partners, civil society organisations, and the private sector.
“These girls are ours and these women are ours. If we join hands, we can ensure every girl and every woman enjoys the dignity they deserve,” she said.
The Gender PS also said Kenya has the potential to become a regional manufacturing hub for affordable and environmentally sustainable menstrual products, noting that increased local production would reduce costs, strengthen supply chains, and create employment opportunities.
She further emphasised the importance of improving menstrual hygiene infrastructure in schools through the provision of adequate toilets, running water, and safe changing facilities, saying access to sanitary towels alone is not sufficient to address menstrual health challenges.
Embu Woman Representative Pamela Njeru said period poverty continues to hinder education, health, and economic empowerment for many women and girls, urging stakeholders to shift from charity-driven interventions to sustainable investments in the menstrual economy.
“Menstrual health is not merely a welfare issue. It is a health and dignity issue, a mental wellness imperative and a key component of economic productivity,” she said.
Drawing from her personal experience growing up without access to sanitary towels, Njeru said many girls still miss school or face exploitation because they cannot afford menstrual products.
She highlighted initiatives undertaken by her office, including the distribution of sanitary towels to 118 out of 167 day secondary schools in Embu County over the past three years, mentorship programmes under the Nasuwa Camp initiative, and the SOMO programme that supports teenage mothers returning to school.
Njeru appealed to development partners and private sector players to support the remaining 51 schools yet to benefit from the sanitary towel distribution programme.
“We must move from ideas to impact and create a system where no woman’s period limits her economic potential or compromises her dignity,” she said.
Leaders attending the conference agreed that strengthening local manufacturing, investing in innovation, improving sanitation infrastructure, and fostering partnerships will be critical in eliminating period poverty while positioning Kenya as a regional leader in the menstrual health industry.
The conference brought together government officials, policymakers, manufacturers, innovators, development partners, and investors to explore strategies for expanding the menstrual economy through local manufacturing, policy reforms, and strategic partnerships aimed at promoting women’s health, industrialisation, and inclusive economic growth.