By Sallieu S. Kanu
Women in detention across Sierra Leone continue to face severe challenges in accessing basic sanitary products, exposing a hidden crisis of “period poverty” behind bars.
AdvocAid, a leading legal aid and welfare support organization, is supporting women with sanitary pad and personal care items for women inmates.
The group stresses that menstruation padsdoes not stop in detention, yet many women are forced to endure their cycles without adequate supplies — a situation that undermines health, dignity, and wellbeing.
“Dignity kits are more than supplies. They are an important part of ensuring humane treatment and support for incarcerated women,” AdvocAid noted in its statement marking Menstrual Hygiene Day.
The absence of sanitary pads in correctional centres has far-reaching consequences. Women risk infections, discomfort, and humiliation, while their basic rights to health and dignity remain neglected. AdvocAid has been providing welfare support and dignity-focused care, but the organization insists that systemic reforms are urgently needed to guarantee consistent access to menstrual hygiene products.
Human rights advocates argue that the issue reflects broader gaps in Sierra Leone’s correctional system, where women’s specific needs are often overlooked. They call for government intervention to ensure that sanitary pads and personal care items are treated as essential supplies, not optional luxuries.
As AdvocAid continues its work, the organization is urging authorities to prioritize menstrual health in detention policies, framing it as a matter of justice, equality, and humane treatment.