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By Joy Umukoro
An advocacy arm of Gatmash Media, Pad Me A Girl Initiative, in collaboration with the Senate Committee on Women Affairs and Access Bank, hosted this year’s International Day of the Girl Child to celebrate the girl child.
Tagged: “The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead: Girls on the Frontlines of Crisis,” the event took place at the Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs) camp, Durumi, in Abuja, yesterday.
Speaking at the event, the Convener of the initiative, Theresa Moses, commended the young girls who torpedo out to embrace the event, saying that in a world where crises have rendered millions of girls vulnerable, the young Nigerians, many of them uprooted by conflict, stood tall with their voices echoing the power of resilience and leadership.
She noted that for the internally displaced girls in Durumi Camp, the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child was a declaration of hope. She said the initiative aims to empower the girl child through access to hygiene.
“Our girls are not victims; they are the change, the voice and the future we must invest in. No girl should skip school or lose confidence because of her menstrual period or her poverty,” she said.
Her initiative’s Pad Me A Girl Access Pad Bank has reached over 5,000 girls across Nigeria, including schools in rural communities and IDP camps, providing not only reusable sanitary pads but, also, the confidence to stay in school.
Moses recalled the inspiring story of 17-year-old Nafisa Abdullah Aminu Yobe, who became the World’s Best in English Language Skills at the TeenEagle Global Finals in London.
“Her story is proof that where there is support, there is possibility. When people in IDP camps get desired support, they can equal Nafisa’s feet, if not surpass her, Moses reiterated. “That is why we are here to support, uplift and remind every girl that her story matters.”
Speaking at the occasion, Senator Ireti Heebah Kingibe, Chairperson, Senate Committee on Women Affairs, who was represented by Mrs. Patricia Oyagha, her Personal Assistant, delivered a policy-driven address that resonated with parents and girls alike.
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“For too long, menstrual health has been treated as a private discomfort, instead of a public priority. Menstrual hygiene is not a luxury; it is a necessity — as vital as clean water or education,” she said.
She revealed that the Senate Committee is collaborating with the Ministry of Education and relevant agencies to integrate menstrual health education into schools and to advance legislation for local production and subsidy on sanitary products.
“When girls are informed, stigma reduces. When communities are informed, empathy grows. And when the government acts, equality becomes real,” she added.
Her message, which received an overwhelming ovation from parents and girls, was quite lucid, the government must turn menstruation from a source of shame into a symbol of empowerment.
On her part, the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, represented by Mrs. Mariam Fitumi Shaibu, Deputy Director, Child Development, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating a safe, inclusive environment for girls to thrive.
“This year’s theme is not about lamentation but a celebration of the strength, power, and resilience of our girls,” she noted.
The minister disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs is reviewing multiple legislative frameworks, including the VAPP Act, 2015 and Child Rights Act, 2003 and that it has validated the National Policy on Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management, aimed at normalising conversations around menstrual health.
“We are not just protecting girls; we are preparing them to lead,” she added. “Empowering the girl child is not an act of kindness; it is an act of nation building.”
Explaining various plans and other measures, Mrs. Blessing Amos, the Abuja Team Lead of “Pad Me A Girl Initiative”, led a session on menstrual health and self-esteem. Some for the first time learnt that menstruation is natural, not shameful.
The event climaxed with the distribution of reusable pads, exercise books, corn flour (Tuwo Masara), custard and kuli-kuli, items that represent dignity and possibility.
