The problem of sanitary provision in Zimbabwe is part of the wider political and economic crisis which has led to an acute shortage of basic and essential goods.
The Department for International Development's (DFID) current programme of assistance aims to protect the livelihoods of more than 1.5 million poor people in Zimbabwe, tackle HIV/AIDS, and help meet humanitarian needs. Although there is no specific allocation, some of our NGO partners are providing sanitary products to girls and young women as part of a £22 million programme of support to orphans and vulnerable children. Our £5 million programme with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to support internally displaced people and deportees is also providing sanitary wear in non-food emergency packs. To date 2,092 female victims of the recent wave of political violence have received sanitary wear from IOM.