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Tag: Janet Mbugua

  • Janet Mbugua Petitions Members of Parliament to Improve the Menstrual Health Management Policy in Kenya

    Janet Mbugua Petitions Members of Parliament to Improve the Menstrual Health Management Policy in Kenya

    Nairobi, Kenya: Award winning media personality Janet Mbugua has petitioned the Members of Parliament to improve on the Menstrual Health Management (MHM) Policy in Kenya to ensure all women in Kenya are receiving adequate MHM services.

    In a statement released today, Mbugua said, “As we count down to Menstrual Health Management Day on Tuesday, May 28, I demand more action and progress towards improved menstrual health management (MHM) in Kenya.

    “Every day, women and girls who lack the income and access to afford sanitary products face significant barriers including insufficient education about MHM and inadequate access to quality, low-cost products.”

    She added, “These barriers are negatively affecting these women and girls: there are women who can’t afford menstrual health products and are forced to use homemade materials which are often ineffective and can lead to infections and other health issues.”

    “There are girls who don’t have access to sanitary products, and as a result, they feel they have no option but to stay home while menstruating, due to fear and shame, which deprives them of getting a quality education; and what’s worse, there are women and girls who are engaging in transnational sex in order to purchase sanitary products – putting them at risk through negative power dynamics in their intimate relationships and increased chances of unintended pregnancies and/or contracting sexually transmitted diseases,” Mbugua explained.

    Mbugua points out that the current government policy on MHM in Kenya is insufficient. In fact, the policy, which can be found in The Basic Education (Amendment) Act enacted by the Parliament of Kenya in 2017, simply reads that [the government will] “provide free, sufficient and quality sanitary towels to every girl child registered and enrolled in a public basic education institution who has reached puberty and provide a safe and environmentally sound mechanism for disposal of the sanitary towels.”

    She noted, “This policy does not give much detail or information regarding how the government provides distribution and disposal of sanitary products or education on sexual reproductive health.

    “What’s more, the policy is only directed towards girls enrolled in public schools, which fails to address the unique needs of other menstruating people such as low-income women and girls who are not enrolled in public schools, the disabled, refugee populations, and women and girls in juvenile detention facilities, jails, and prisons – just to name a few.”

    Mbugua added, “I demand that you take action towards improving your policy on menstrual health management in Kenya so we can ensure that we are supporting all menstruating women and girls, whether in our workplaces, in our communities, or in our homes.”

    “Extend your policy and ensure that all women in Kenya are receiving adequate MHM services, and follow up that policy with practice,” reads her statement.

    Join the petition by signing :  https://www.change.org/p/members-of-the-kenyan-national-assembly-we-need-more-action-and-progress-towards-improved-menstrual-health-management-in-kenya/psf/share?after_sign_exp=default&just_signed=true&share_abi=1

  • Janet Mbugua headlines Victoria Rubadiri’s “A Girlfriends Confidential Talk”

    Janet Mbugua headlines Victoria Rubadiri’s “A Girlfriends Confidential Talk”

    As women’s history month comes to a close, Victoria Rubadiri hosted Janet Mbugua at a special edition of A Girlfriends Confidential Talk.

    Hosted at the Trademark Hotel in Village Market, the event saw a packed house, with over 1,100 women in attendance to discuss how they can find, use, and leverage their voices in order to enhance their livelihoods.

    “I built my formidable career through having mentors in the workspace, and being deliberate on mentoring next generation. I encourage you to read more books by “Incredible women” who have faced and broken down barriers,” Janet Mbugua said.

    The media personality also named Unbowed by Wangari Mathai, Becoming by Michelle Obama, We’re Going To Need More Wine, by Gabriel Union and I know why the caged bird sings by Maya Angelou as some of the best sellers that have shaped her world view.

    Janet also encouraged the audience to dismiss the naysayers as they journey to find success and empowerment.

    She said, “I have been built by both male and female mentors. I have also equally been ‘brought down’ by both male and female colleagues in the workplace. There is no hard and fast rule that men will break you down and women will build you, or vice versa. It’s about finding your place, seeking out mentors, and those with the right mindset will build you.”

    Speaking about being part of the talk, Janet said, “I’ve mentioned this a few times this year, that I’m just not in a space where I want to pour from my cup, which I’m slowly filling up. But yesterday was special because I got to connect with many of you and hear about your own concerns, insecurities and triumphs. It was refreshing and necessary!”

    Janet thanked her host Victoria Rubadiri and fellow panelists who included Mercy Maroma, as well as Joy Doreen Biira who shared some nuggets of wisdom.

  • Janet Mbugua gets raw on #SheWord Panel, addresses balance between work & motherhood

    Janet Mbugua gets raw on #SheWord Panel, addresses balance between work & motherhood

    Award winning media personality, Janet Mbugua was part of a panel on BBC for the show the #SheWord that aired on NTV on Saturday night. 
     Janet who is passionate on gender equity gave insight on one of the factors that influenced her resignation two years ago.
    “There is pressure to be a good mother and there is also pressure at work,” Janet Mbugua revealed. 
    She shed some light on the gender pay gap that it “has forced most women to either resign from their jobs or settle for less than what they ought to be paid. A working woman in the corporate field has her fair share of challenges especially when it comes to being valued in comparison to their male counterparts.”
    Current statistics states that it will take 135 years to close the gender pay gap in sub-Saharan Africa.
     
    Speaking about the show, Janet said, “I really enjoyed being on #SheWord. It was informative to listen to the perspectives of the other panelists, amazing African women who come from different parts of our continent – Shamim Nsubuga from Uganda, Amadea Birhan from Eritrea, and Adesuwa Onyenokwe from Nigeria.”
    Janet added, “We need systems in place that allow mothers to be able to bring their best in the workplace and at home. Men should also be encouraged to participate in the home so that women are allowed the space to thrive in the workplace. For example, my father cooked. He didn’t say, ‘This is what women do, this is what men do.”
     
    Janet, a mother of two, says, “The issue of gender wage gap is rooted on our societal norms with regards to how women are perceived by the society, the gender wage gap is about choice, opportunity and the roles played by both genders which makes it complicated.
     
    She continues, “When you hear about the gender wage gap, you might think it’s the result of overt pay discrimination between women and men. But in reality, discrimination only accounts for a small fraction of this disparity.
     
    “Women are still seen as the weaker link In the workplace, as they try to rise to senior positions a myriad of challenges are thrust before them, such as the “motherhood penalty”: meaning they are less likely to be promoted; considered less committed to their jobs; and less likely to earn pay rises. But the opposite is true for Men who are fathers – they are offered more money, perceived to be more committed to their jobs, and more likely to be recommended for promotions.”
    Janet pointed out, “The gender pay gap issue stems from a wider understanding of gender roles and gender equality. There is need for discussions on gender equity and demystification of gender roles in our homes. These conversations need to move from the boardrooms and TV’s to our homes to solve the imbalance.”