Addressing Menstrual Health Taboos in African Women’s Football

In July next year, African women’s football will be prominent as South Africa aims to retain its continental championship in Morocco. Alongside the increasing popularity of women’s football throughout Africa, a significant hurdle involves tackling the cultural stigma surrounding players’ menstrual health. Esse Akida, a Kenya international, has noted a significant contrast in attitudes regarding menstrual health on her native continent compared to her professional playing experiences in Europe. Akida informed BBC Sport Africa, “The teams I have played for professionally, we had the option of not playing during our menses [period] but here in Kenya that wasn’t available.” She further stated, “There were team-mates with heavy flow [who] couldn’t play. I have scored on my menses but it doesn’t feel comfortable.” The forward, presently a free agent following stints in Greece, Turkey, and Israel, started her career in Kenya with teams such as Matuu and Thika Queens. Her experiences within Africa underscore the necessity for enhanced comprehension of this matter. The 32-year-old recounted, “I remember telling one of my coaches that I wasn’t comfortable playing during my menses.” She added, “It turned [out] to look like I didn’t want to play because I felt like a superstar.” The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has prioritized menstrual health since 2021, striving to counter the prevailing culture of silence surrounding it. Meskerem Goshime, who serves as the head of women’s football at Caf, informed BBC Sport Africa, “This is not something we even discuss with our family.” The objective is to assist coaches and team personnel, most of whom are male, in providing a more encouraging setting where players can excel. The Ethiopian official disclosed, “We have had a conversation on the menstruation cycle and how players go through four phases and, depending on those phases, their performance might vary.” She continued, “There is a perception that a woman athlete is treated just like a man athlete, but women are not small men. Women are different in terms of physiology.” She also noted, “[The] menstruation cycle is seen as a taboo in a lot of African cultures.” However, she added, “But when you speak about it again and again, you make it part of the discussion.” Since 2012, Esse Akida has been a player for Kenya’s Harambee Starlets. Additionally, certain female footballers in Africa contend with ‘period poverty’ – a lack of access to sanitary products – which can hinder their advancement in the sport. A 2023 study by Fifa’s Women’s Health, Wellbeing and Performance project revealed that approximately 35% of players on the continent occasionally resort to using old rags as an alternative. Akida, who originates from Kenya’s coastal region of Kilifi, stated, “In my community, menstruation was a hindrance to girls getting into football because even getting money to buy sanitary towels has been a challenge.” She elaborated, “Girls had to balance between playing and staying home. I was lucky to have a supportive mother.” She concluded, “Not all of my age-mates in Kilifi had the same luxury. It was disheartening to see.” Akida expresses optimism that initiatives by Caf and the global governing body Fifa will enhance conditions for players, concurrently advocating for African teams to employ a greater number of female staff. She further suggested, “Hire female coaches to handle female players or at least have [more] women on the bench.” She reasoned, “As much as we want coaches who are good tactically, players will be more comfortable discussing such things with women coaches.” TP Mazembe of DR Congo has become the third club to secure the Caf Women’s Champions League title, succeeding Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa and AS FAR of Morocco. Caf anticipates that club football, specifically its Women’s Champions League, will stimulate enhancements throughout all facets of women’s football. The yearly tournament commenced in 2021, featuring regional competitions that determined eight qualifiers; however, there are presently no intentions to increase the number of teams participating in the final phase. Goshime commented, “It provides a platform for female players to showcase their talent at the continental level, which in turn raises the profile of the sport in general.” She added, “It has opened doors for a lot of players to be scouted by European or even African teams.” She concluded, “I think we sometimes don’t talk about it but we see a lot of movement now inside the continent.” In the most recent edition, which took place last month, DR Congo’s TP Mazembe secured its inaugural title by defeating former champions and host team AS FAR of Morocco with a 1-0 score. A challenge observed was the low attendance at matches held in Casablanca and El Jadida, with Goshime acknowledging that significant progress is “still a long way to go” in boosting the visibility of women’s matches. Nevertheless, the success of African players on the international stage is contributing to promoting the sport’s image across the continent. Barbra Banda, a striker from Zambia, was named the 2024 BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year, and earlier this year, her fellow countrywoman Racheal Kundananji achieved the distinction of becoming the most expensive female player globally. Both athletes are prominent figures in the esteemed National Women’s Soccer League in the USA, and Goshime believes that such achievements can motivate a new generation. She remarked, “This is a testament to how African players are putting their impact in the global scale.” She continued, “I think it’s sent a message that you have a place in the football world.” She emphasized, “This is a very important message – you can be a global sensation if you play football.” Barbra Banda, captain of Zambia, is the second African player to receive the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year award, after Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala.