Question NW3249 to the Minister of Social Development

Reply:

The implementation of the Sanitary Dignity Implementation Policy Framework (SDIP) and the Sanitary Dignity Programme is coordinated and monitored by the DWYPD. The equitable share budget allocation is given to various implementing provinces from National Treasury. At National level, the implementation of the programme is shared between Department of Basic Education (DBE) and Department of Social Development (DSD). National DSD implements the programme in four (4) provinces, which is Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Western Cape and Eastern Cape while DBE implements in five (5) provinces namely Free State, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Limpopo, Northern Cape and North West.

However, the province has strategically included the target for provision of sanitary towels in the Annual Performance Plan. Learners who are mostly vulnerable and those in quintile 1 and 2 schools in the townships and villages and farm schools are provided with dignitary packs on a quarterly basis.

The Department provides sanitary towels, on a small scale, to targeted learners from impoverished households and disadvantaged schools. Also, provision for sanitary towels is made as a form of intervention during disasters. The Department is targeting 10 000 beneficiaries to receive dignity packs in this financial year. In 2016, the

Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities scaled up the provision of sanitary towels to benefit the majority of girl-children in quintile one and quintile two schools. During this period, it was decided that the NW Department of Education is strategically positioned to roll - out the large scale provisioning of sanitary towels to beneficiaries in North West Province.

The Department of Basic Education may be in a better position to provide specifics in terms of the number of sanitary towels provided and cost implications.