As part of activities to mark this year’s world Menstrual Hygiene day with focus on the girl-child, Women in Media, WIM, Taraba State Chapter with support from some partners, Madam Amazing Smiles Foundation, Executive Secretary, Taraba State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Alhaji Jauro Hassan, Publicity Secretary, PSN Taraba State, Pharm. Rex Bala Aji and AbiFresh and Kiddies Ventures held a one-day Sensitisation programme on proper menstrual hygiene in two selected public Secondary Schools in Jalingo, the Taraba State Capital.
Speaking at the events, the President of the Women in Media, WIM, Taraba State Chapter who is also the publisher of Ziti Newspaper, Mrs. Queen Kunde Enoch, explained that, the decision to sensitise adolescent school girls on proper menstrual hygiene is due to the predominant Poor menstrual hygiene among girls of school age as a result of lack of education on the issue, persisting taboos and stigma, limited access to hygienic menstrual products and poor sanitation infrastructure especially within the school environment which statistics prove undermines the educational opportunities, health and overall social status of women and girls around the world, as a result, millions of women and girls are kept from reaching their full potential.
She said the activity is in line with the Association’s vision to reach out to the vulnerable persons in the society adding that the group distributed a sanitary pad and a copy of Ziti Newspaper’s special edition which contained educational materials on Menstrual Health Hygiene to each of the over 200 girls at the events in recognition of the difficulty Parents and guardians encounter in providing their girl child with sanitary pads and adequate information about the monthly menstruation period considering its high cost and the numerous barriers that impede the assess to adequate information on proper menstrual hygiene management.
“in line with this global advocacy platform that brings together the voices and actions of non-profits, government agencies, individuals, the private sector and those of us in the media, to promote good menstrual health and hygiene for all women and girls. Part of our objectives here today is to break the silence, raises awareness and change negative social norms around menstrual health and hygiene”
“As a group, our earnest desire is to at least pad a school girl at the end of each month, a tall dream we have but of course with determination and support from good spirited individuals and corporate organizations, this dream can come true, in all for the good of our girl child and the society at large” she said.
Mrs. Enoch appealed to everyone to support the course of the WIM in attaining the target of distribution of sanitary pads to school girls every month by donating funds or sanitary pads to the group.
She thanked the various partners who contributed in the success of the programe while urging other good spirited individuals and corporate organisations to also support WIM in this objective to “PAD A GIRL” every month.
The group visited the Government Secondary School and Government Islamic and Arabic School in Jalingo, Taraba State to sensitize the adolescent school girls on menstrual hygiene.
Highlight of the event was the distribution of sanitary pads to over 200 girls as well as educative materials on Healthy tips on maintaining menstrual hygiene and questions and answer session.
Part of the delegation are the vice president of WIM, Mrs. Hilda Adebayo, Secretary, Mrs. Uduak Godwin, Financial Secretary, Mrs. Blessing Solomon Tsokwa and other members.
With the 2022 theme as “to create a world where no woman or girl is held back because they menstruate by 2030” the aim is to see that it is possible to create a world where no woman or girl is held back because she menstruates. This means a world in which every woman and girl is empowered to manage her menstruation safely, hygienically, with confidence and without shame.
Menstrual Hygiene Day is an annual awareness day on May 28 to highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene management at a global level. It was initiated by the German-based NGO WASH United in 2013 and observed for the first time in 2014.
The United Nations says World Menstrual Hygiene Day is observed on 28 May because menstrual cycles average 28 days in length. It says May is chosen because it is the fifth month of the year and girls and women menstruate an average of five days each month.
