By Kamundia Muriithi
Thousands of schoolgirls in remote areas of Embu County suffer from low self-esteem due to lack of panties and sanitary towels, a gender official has said.
Gender, Culture, Children and Social Services CEC Member Dr Joan Mwende said most parents are too shy to buy underwear for their children and consequently, the children also do not ask for the inner wear even when in their menses.
Dr Mwende said inner wear debate is treated as a taboo in the Embu Community hence the stigma attached to mentioning them makes girls suffer in silence.
She said the Gender department would proceed with plans to issue panties alongside sanitary towels to school girls in a bid to keep them in school, despite criticism and ridicule from residents on social media.
Some residents argued that the provision of panties to school girls was unsustainable hence that money should be directed to either bursaries or books.
According to Dr Mwende, the Education department was already dealing with learning materials and bursaries.
