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{
    "id": 1556297,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1556297/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 239,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Orwoba",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "is the same. We did not have legal framework, no monitoring and evaluation and the authority that was involved did not put into place the things that are needed. All I am saying in this Bill is that money should be taken from the national Government. The money should be taken away from all these actors, who have conflicting interests. That money should then be taken to the people, through those independent county committees which will focus on procurement and distribution of sanitary towels. They will also focus on advocacy on menstrual hygiene and advocacy on ending period stigma and shame. They will basically focus on the beneficiaries of this Government programme. I understand that Sen. Mungatana is a little bit not okay with the independence of that committee. However, it is important to note that the independence of that committee is what will ensure that all these agencies, women representatives, Senators, and governors will be merely oversighting a Government programme and not being part of the procurement. So, those powers are necessary and the power belongs to the people. As a legislator, I cannot argue to take away the power from the people. What I am saying is that we should give the power to the people for them to decide the kind of menstrual hygiene products they need. They should decide when they need them, how many times it should be distributed and who is going to be involved in the distribution. This Bill is basically attempting to give the power back to the people. I, however, understand that it is a very uncomfortable place to be for certain offices, including the Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender, our women representatives who are oversighting the NGAAF and Senators who would perhaps have liked to play a role here and there. I am legislating on the fundamental basis on the right thing to do. The right thing to do is to ensure that those who have control of procurement and distribution are the actual beneficiaries of that programme. They should feel the impact that it was intended to have. I want to highlight on something that was brought about by the sentiments of Sen. Eddy Oketch. The Education Act does not talk about the menstrual hygiene policy that we have. By the way, Kenya is the first country in Africa that put together a Menstrual Hygiene Policy under the Ministry of Health at that time. This is because it was being funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This Menstrual Hygiene Policy is an important piece of document that just sits in the Ministry of Health. Nobody is implementing it. I was surprised to learn, upon joining the Senate, that the Menstrual Hygiene Policy could have been easily implemented by the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Health or Gender, Culture, Arts and Heritage. They could have drafted the necessary regulations and presented them to Parliament for approval. The Menstrual Hygiene Policy is a basic document that focuses on ensuring women and girls menstruate with dignity. What does it look like? This involves providing essential facilities such as toilets, ensuring privacy in these facilities, access to water and sanitation and environmentally friendly disposal of sanitary towels. These are measures we would have expected the Ministry of Gender, Culture, Arts and Heritage to address through regulations. However, that has not happened. This Bill seeks to ensure that moving forward, regulations are established. For the benefit of the public listening, these regulations represent the delegation of powers by Parliament to the ministries, enabling it to create policies in specific areas. You would be shocked to learn that some entities in Nairobi's CBD lack toilets. Workers go to these establishments daily, yet basic facilities are unavailable. For instance, there is a popular shoe store with branches across the country that does not have toilets. If we had regulations under the The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and Audio Services, Senate."
}