Lara Adejoro
A non-governmental organization, AIDS Healthcare Foundation Nigeria, has stressed the need to set up ‘pad banks’ in schools and communities to assist teenage girls in the event of menstrual emergencies.
The NGO stated this during the commemoration of the 2024 Menstrual Health Day, at Angwan-Jukun, Wurukum, Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue state.
Menstrual Hygiene Day is an annual awareness day on May 28 to highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene management.
The Advocacy and Marketing Manager of AHF Nigeria, Steve Aborisade, in a statement on Tuesday, noted that the call became necessary because the majority of teenage girls face period poverty, a term used to indicate lack of access to menstrual products, which compels young women and girls to seek alternatives that are detrimental to their health and wellbeing.
He pointed out that the result is that most of the girls have to use other means to contain their menstrual flow, including the use of rags, cotton wool, and in some cases, tissue paper, which are harmful to their health.
Aborisade further stated that the inability of teenagers to access sanitary pads has led to the call on all to end ‘period poverty’.
He appealed to other partners to contribute to the bank, adding that no matter how small their contributions were, it would go a long way to assist the girls.
He said, “We came to this community, using certain criteria. We learnt that there is a high prevalence rate of teenage pregnancy, sexual assault, teenage prostitution and so many more. Therefore, we felt that it is important to give the young people in this community some form of education. That was what led to the formation of the Community Committee on Comprehensive Sexuality Education in this community, with other partners in Benue.
“This is like a follow-up to that effort; you know we work with some young people and youth peer leaders, and we train them in CSE because one of the key challenges young girls have now is access to sanitary pads; menstruation is a big deal.
“They have very little knowledge and awareness of what to do and what not to do. And the majority of them cannot even afford sanitary pads. And we have heard from speaker after speaker reinforcing the reality of our girls.”
He explained that the idea of a pad bank is to be able to create a repository of sanitary pads, adding, “So that some girls who can’t read their circle and as they are on their way to school, in school, or maybe in church or they are going out and discover that they are already wet (start menstruating) and sometimes young boys are making jest of them; in such a situation the girl can quickly run to the house of the community head, for get an emergency supply to deal with the situation.
“And we are working with other partners that are here today, to contribute to that bank; if you contribute 10 rolls of the pads, it will go a long way,” he said.
Aborisade also said AHF would further take its advocacy to the Benue State House of Assembly.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Benue State House of Assembly Committee on Sustainable Development Goals and Non-Governmental Organisations, Peter Uche, said his committee is ready to partner with AHF and called on AHF to subsequently involve parents in such programmes.
He encouraged parents to listen to their children and understand where they are coming from, rather than condemning them.
Also speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Helen Nyikaav advised the girls to educate their peers on the harmful effects of using other means, other than sanitary pads to contain their menstruation.
She said they should count themselves privileged to be exposed to such teachings at an early stage because some of them were not privileged to this kind of information while growing up.
The Head, Menstrual Health Desk Officer, Benue State Action Committee on AIDS, Matina Adiyia said the core mandate of the agency is HIV and AIDS, but the provision of sanitary pads is crucial as it intersects with HIV transmission.
She explained that she would take the matter back to the Executive Secretary of the agency, to see how they can key into the project.
A participant from the Agwan-Jukun community, Catherine Sunday, echoed the plights of other participants and pleaded with the government to come to the aid of young women and girls by providing free sanitary materials.
She also appealed for a conducive environment through the provision of toilets and running water in schools and the community so that girls can menstruate with dignity.
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