To ensure proper management of menstrual hygiene for girls and women with disabilities, a non-governmental organisation, Pad A Queen Initiative (PAQI) in collaboration with Women’s Health Triangle Initiative, Gynehobs and Menstrual Health and Pad Bank Nigeria have called on government at all levels to put in place policies to this effect.
The founder of PAQI, Saheedat Adetayo, during a virtual menstrual conversation, themed, ‘Inclusion matters, advancing menstrual health for women and girls living with disabilities’, noted that girls and women with disabilities in Nigeria face greater challenges in managing their menstruation hygienically.
“In this edition, we focused on inclusion in the disability space where women and girls with a disability can have access to the right menstrual health and hygiene knowledge as woman empowerment is incomplete without every woman being carried along, giving them their due space and recognition.”
She added that there is so much disinformation and misinformation attached to menstruation and people with disabilities face double stigma due to social norms around gender. “My experience growing up as a young lady is my motive for starting the foundation.
“I had a menstrual health challenge known as dysfunctional bleeding. I attended so many menstrual health programmes but nobody was talking about my problem. I wasn’t seeing myself in the picture they were talking about as a young girl of 14 years. I will use as much as six to seven pads a day. I didn’t see myself exactly in the conversation, so growing up it was more of a trouble because getting stained means that you are not coordinated or neat. You can imagine the kind of stereotype people with these challenges go through every month. The fear that my classmates would laugh at me and my teachers would bash me made me feel like the odd one. As a teacher today, I realise that there are so many girls around me that are going through this and they are keeping quiet out of fear of stigmatisation. The need to support female students with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) inspired me to start the Pad A Queen Initiative.”
Author, diversity and disability advocate, Fatimah Aderohunmu, said inaccessible disability-friendly menstrual care facilities and toilets in public places prevent girls and women with disabilities from participating fully in social and economic life. “Menstrual cycle is more challenging for people with disabilities. During my period I spent most of my time at home because pads with wings are not comfortable for me and it was hard to find a toilet facility that is disabled people friendly. Though we are advised to make use of tampons instead of pads, for someone like me who falls occasionally, it isn’t comfortable.”
Aderohunmu however advocated for menstrual education and the availability of disability-friendly restrooms in public places. She said: “Changing of pad is always challenging for people with disabilities. Moreso, different types of disabilities have different needs. All female toilets should have a sanitary bin where use pads can be disposed of properly. Majority of public toilets are not disability friendly, which is difficult for us to use. More research needs to be done to improvise alternative pads for people with disabilities which will cater properly for our menstrual needs. Also, women with disabilities need to be educated properly on menstrual periods. We need to change a lot of narrative because so many believe women with disabilities do not menstruate.”
Guest speaker, Diversity and Inclusion Specialist, Founder Agatha Memorial Foundation, Akhere Akran, also called for social inclusion of persons with disability in the country.
