Follow Us on Google
From Abel Leonard, Lafia
To mark the 2024 International Menstrual Hygiene Day, the Nasarawa State Menstrual Hygiene Management Project, in collaboration with the Nasarawa State Human Capital Development Agency, distributed sanitary pads to 54 female students at the Government Special School in Lafia.
Speaking at the inaugural celebration in Lafia on Tuesday, the Focal Person of the State’s Menstrual Hygiene Management Project, Patience Ayaka, said the Day, themed “Together for a Period-Friendly World,” signified a crucial step in advocating for better lives for all girls and women in the state.
She explained that the project aimed to address the menstrual challenges facing females in the state by promoting menstrual hygiene as a vital aspect of reproductive health.
“We believe that every girl and woman deserves the right to manage their menstruation with dignity, and our goal is to create a world where menstruation is no longer a source of shame or fear.
“That is why we have come to this Special School today because we are particularly interested in supporting vulnerable girls with disabilities who face significant challenges due to their unique circumstances,” she said.
Ayaka commended the State’s Human Capital Development Agency for partnering with the project to ensure its success and urged all well-to-do residents of the state to join forces to address the menstruation challenges confronting less-privileged females.
“Today, we witness the lighting of a historical torch that will ensure that women and girls have sufficient support during menstruation in schools, homes, workplaces, prisons, and hospitals.
“I, therefore, call on all of us to come together to break the silence and stigma surrounding menstruation. Let us work towards creating a world where every girl and woman can be free from the constraints of menstrual shame and fear,” Ayaka added.
The Director General and Focal Person of the Nasarawa State Human Capital Development Agency, Habiba Balarabe-Suleiman, lamented that a significant number of girls in the state are often absent from school during their menstrual periods due to lack of access to sanitary products, proper facilities, and the pervasive stigma surrounding menstruation.
She proposed a multifaceted approach to address menstrual hygiene in the state, which includes:
- Education and awareness
- Access to menstrual products
- Improved infrastructure and facilities
- Psychosocial support
- Policy advocacy and support
“Menstrual hygiene is not just a health issue; it is a matter of dignity, equality, and human rights. By working together to break the silence and stigma surrounding menstruation, we can create a more inclusive and supportive environment for women and girls in Nasarawa State,” Balarabe-Suleiman added.
Daily Sun reports that dignitaries including the Chairman of the State’s Disability Rights Commission, Sale Barde; Head of Civil Service, Abigail Waya; General Manager of the State’s Water Board, Ahmed Kana; and the State’s Menstrual Hygiene Management Project pad ambassador, Tabitha Abimiku, were present at the event.
