Sri Lanka’s Education Ministry is taking steps to provide vouchers for the purchase of sanitary napkins for school girls facing challenges in obtaining basic sanitation facilities.

Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha said that the vouchers to purchase sanitary napkins will be provided following the April New Year this year, with an aim to increase the hygiene habits of school girls.

Minister Premajayantha further said that steps will be taken to distribute sanitary napkins to nearly 800,000 school girls in difficult, extremely difficult, and isolated areas and in schools with identified poverty.

The vouchers are expected to be provided by the government at a total cost of Rs. one billion with the value of one voucher card being about Rs. 1200.

A Cabinet paper in this regard has already been submitted for Cabinet approval, the minister said.

Minister Premajayantha added that this program aimed to provide support to girls from economically disadvantaged families by strengthening the health and hygiene habits of school children