Socio-Economic Impact of Period Poverty on Secondary School Attendance and Performance in Rural Uganda

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 9, August 2026 | pp. 225–232

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001276

Article Type: Original Research Article

Title: Socio-Economic Impact of Period Poverty on Secondary School Attendance and Performance in Rural Uganda

Names of Authors: Dr. Florence N. Nakato¹, Dr. Joseph M. Mukasa¹

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹School of Education, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

Abstract:
A lack of access to sanitary products presents a major structural barrier to female education across sub-Saharan Africa. This study evaluates the direct impact of period poverty on school attendance, academic performance, and psychological well-being among adolescent girls in rural schools within the Kamuli district of Uganda. Utilizing a longitudinal cluster tracking design over an academic calendar year, researchers monitored 520 schoolgirls aged 13 to 17. The quantitative data demonstrate that girls lacking access to modern menstrual products miss an average of 4.2 ± 1.1 school days per month, resulting in a 35% decline in terminal examination performance metrics (p < 0.01). The regression modeling indicates that menstrual absenteeism is the single strongest predictor of early school dropout among rural adolescents. Qualitative focus groups reveal that the absence of functional water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure inside school premises causes intense fear of public staining, leading to severe anxiety and social withdrawal. Furthermore, cultural taboos prevent open discussions, leaving girls to use unhygienic alternatives such as old rags or leaves, which increases reproductive tract infections by 52%. The study concludes that current education policies are failing adolescent girls. We recommend enacting permanent zero-rated tax policies on sanitary towels, mandating WASH upgrades in all rural public schools, and distributing free menstrual health kits nationwide.

Keywords: Period Poverty, School Attendance, WASH Infrastructure, Adolescent Girls, Academic Performance, Uganda

Manuscript Timeline: Received: March 01, 2026; Revised: May 19, 2026; Accepted: June 25, 2026; Published: August 31, 2026.

Citation: Nakato, F. N., & Mukasa, J. M. (2026). Socio-Economic Impact of Period Poverty on Secondary School Attendance and Performance in Rural Uganda. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(9), 225–232. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001276

Subscribe to read the full article: https://internationalscholarsjournals.org/subscribe-to-read