Period poverty: UNICEF leads advocacy on menstrual health management in Oyo
By Olatunde Ajayi
According to the the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), inadequate access to resources has continued to undermine ability of girls and women to manage their menstruation healthily and respectfully.
The UNICEF Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Specialist, Mr Monday Johnson, stated this at a media dialogue organised by UNICEF in collaboration with Oyo State Ministry of Information and Orientation on Thursday in Ibadan.
He noted that a greater percentage of women often faced stigmatisation, isolation and other forms of rights violations while observing menstrual period.
Menstrual Hygiene Day, being observed every May 28, is dedicated to promoting better understanding about menstruation, raise awareness about the importance of good menstrual hygiene and to break down the existing social taboos associated with menstruation.
The theme for 2025 celebration is “Together for a Period Friendly World.”
The UNICEF specialist affirmed that the theme shared the vision of a world where every woman could manage their menstruation with dignity, confidence, and safety.
He called for integration of comprehensive menstrual education into school curricula and community programmes to dispel myths and normalise conversations about menstruation.
According to him, ensuring that menstrual products are accessible and affordable is a fundamental right of women and girls.
“Governments, NGOs, and private sectors must collaborate to provide free or subsidised menstrual products to those in need.
“By educating our girls and even our boys, we foster a supportive environment where menstruation is understood and respected.
“Schools, workplaces, and public spaces must be equipped with clean and adequate water supply and disposal options.
“Some schools lack adequate water, sanitation and hygiene facilities needed by girls and female teachers to manage menstruation,” Johnson said.
He also called on parents especially fathers to support their girl child during menstruation, noting that research had shown that voices of fathers in supporting girls during menstruation have been very low.
“We need to have voices of parents, boys, government and NGOs supporting girls during menstruation against all taboos and myths about menstruation,” he said.
Similarly, UNICEF’s Social Behavioral Specialist, Mrs Aderonke Akinola-Akinwole, charged community leaders and influencers to actively involved in promoting menstrual health education.
This, she said, could be achieved through supportive networks that would ensure that girl or woman did not feel isolated or ashamed because of their menstrual period.
“We need to break silence, menstruation should not be seen as a taboo topic. We need to create an open dialogue where people feel comfortable discussing their menstrual health without fear of ridicule or shame,”she said.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Dotun Oyelade, commended UNICEF for championing campaign for menstrual hygiene in Nigeria.
He expressed renewed commitment of Gov. Seyi Makinde’s led administration to all UNICEF activities in Oyo state. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Remi Koleoso/Vivian Ihechu
