The Inclusion Project (TIP) has urged the Federal Government to subsidise menstrual products under national health insurance and social protection frameworks.

The project also called for government’s support for local menstrual product manufacturing to foster affordability and create jobs. They also want menstrual health support to be institutionalised in correctional facilities and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps across the country.

According to the group, there is a critical need to mandate menstrual health education in all primary and secondary schools to include sanitary pads as part of free educational materials for public school students.

TIP made these calls at the just concluded nationwide campaign to commemorate this year’s Menstrual Hygiene Day themed: “Dignity in Every Drop: Combating Period Poverty for a Period-Friendly Nigeria.”

The nationwide campaign spans across Lagos, Imo, and Kano States, reaching over 1,000 women and girls with activities focused on menstrual hygiene advocacy, education, and dignity kit distribution.

The initiative aimed to address the widespread issue of period poverty in Nigeria and amplify the national call for a period-friendly environment where menstruation is no longer a source of shame, limitation, or health risk.

It also aimed to demonstrate the transformative power of community engagement, education, and compassionate outreach. “Period poverty is more than a health issue. It is a question of human rights and dignity. Through collective action and a national commitment to menstrual equity, we can uphold dignity in every drop and work toward a Nigeria where no girl or woman is held back by her period,” TIP said.

MEANWHILE, the Lagos State’s campaign took place at the Kirikiri Female Custodial Centre in Apapa. TIP donated over 600 sanitary pads and menstrual hygiene kits to women and girls in correctional custody. This intervention was received with deep appreciation, as many of the recipients expressed gratitude for being remembered and supported in such a practical and dignified way.

Correctional officers at the facility also commended TIP’s consistency and commitment to restoring dignity to incarcerated women, highlighting the ongoing need for menstrual support within such underserved populations.

In Imo State, the activities were held at Comprehensive Secondary School Orji, Owerri with a focus on adolescent girls in the school. TIP volunteers and school health educators conducted menstrual hygiene education sessions and distributed dignity kits that included sanitary pads, soaps, and educational materials to over 500 students.

These sessions not only demystified menstruation but also equipped young girls with the knowledge and confidence to manage their periods safely and hygienically.

Also, in Kano State, community-based engagements took place in peri-urban. The project facilitated sensitisation sessions in schools and communities.
These sessions challenged cultural myths and misconceptions about menstruation while promoting healthy menstrual practices. TIP also distributed 400 menstrual hygiene packs within these communities and schools. The campaign was strengthened by the support of local leaders, some of whom pledged to sustain community-wide sensitisation and support adolescent girls beyond the campaign period.

TIP also hosted a Zoom webinar under the theme: “Dignity in Every Drop: Combating Period Poverty for a Period-Friendly Nigeria,” which featured the founder of Alora Pads and a seasoned gender and sexual reproductive health expert, Sarah Kuponiyi; and a contestant for Miss Diaspora Nigeria USA 2025, Dr Aliyah Balogun. The panellists emphasised the urgent need to normalise menstruation conversations, promote public-private collaboration to end period poverty, and support local production of menstrual products to ensure affordability and sustainability.