Kenyan Schoolgirl Killed Herself After Teacher Shamed Her for Period Stains: Report

A 14-year-old Kenyan schoolgirl killed herself after a teacher allegedly shamed her for having a period stain on her uniform, according to reports. The girl’s mother said the teacher called the young girl “dirty” and ordered her to leave the class in Kabiangek, which is west of Nairobi, last Friday, according to the BBC. “She had nothing to use as a pad. When the blood stained her clothes, she was told to leave the classroom and stand outside,” the mother told Kenyan media. A 2014 United Nations report said that one in 10 girls in sub-Saharan Africa miss school during their period, causing some girls to lose a reported 20 percent of their education and making them more likely to drop out of school. A parliamentary committee is currently investigating why a 2017 program to provide free sanitary towels for female students has not been rolled out across all schools.