Foundation seeks better deal for girls during menstruation

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has cautioned Nigerians on discrimination against women, especially girls over menstruation, urging government and relevant stakeholders to provide adequate sanitary facilities and free products for promotion of menstrual hygiene in the country.

Advocates first launched Menstrual Health Day in 2014 to highlight importance of menstrual health management education that empowers persons, who menstruate, to fully participate in the society and live a healthy and self-determined life.

To the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA), May 28 signifies the menstrual cycles of females, as the fertility period lasts for 28 days, same way an average period lasts for five days, authenticating the May date. Therefore, May 28, is celebrated to mark the change that occurs in a female body.

This year’s theme, ‘Making menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030,’ is to build a world where no girl is without safety supplies, easy access to sanitary products and menstruation a normal subject, which could be discussed publicly.

AHF’s Marketing Manager in Nigeria, Steve Aborisade, who made the call in a statement at the weekend, in commemoration of this year’s Menstrual Hygiene Day (MHD), said of the 1.8 billion people that menstruate globally, 500 million are denied access to safe facilities and sanitary products that provide healthy ways to manage their periods.

Also, the foundation’s Nigeria Country Programme Director, Dr. Echey Ijezie, pointed out as governments loosen COVID-19 restrictions worldwide, people, who menstruate, are back to their various endeavours, while attempting to manage their periods.

Meanwhile, PadUp Africa and Women in PENGASSAN, at the weekend, held a campaign to end menstruation poverty in schools.

Both bodies shared hygiene products to students and educated both male and female students.

Executive Director, PadUp Africa, Ashley Lori, the exercise was to advocate for free renewable or disposable sanitary pads for girls to remain in schools.

She implored the Federal Government to ensure availability of free sanitary pads in schools nationwide.