To commemorate this year’s ‘Menstrual Hygiene Day’, a day initiated by WASH a German non- profit organization in 2013 to create awareness on menstruation matters and end period poverty. Owing to the fact that many people are still ignorant on the need for proper hygiene and lack access to menstrual hygiene products and sanitation facilities, due to cost and availability.
PLAN International Nigeria, an International NGO, carried out activities on the 28th of May and 31st of May, to advocate for menstrual hygiene management in the society.
The GIrls Get Equal (GGE), a girl-led affiliation of PLAN International visited schools in Borno and Nasarawa State, to sensitize young girls on menstrual hygiene and how to track their periods. They also distributed sanitary pads for the young girls to encourage their dedication and need for good menstrual management and hygiene.
While the organization’s offices in Abuja and Bauchi in partnership with Kortex had a stakeholders conference on May 31st themed “Menstruation Matters: My Period, My Pride.”
The discussions centered around making menstruation a normalcy of life by 2030, educating and empowering young girls on how to maintain good period hygiene, getting the government involved through policy influencing to create good menstrual hygiene management facilities, provision of water in schools and restrooms for effective clean up for girls and women, proper disposal of used sanitary pad to prevent climate pollution and also the possibility of making pads free or easily available for girls who cannot afford them. The organization stated that, they are committed to create a world where no one would be held back because they menstruate and a fair ground for girls to thrive in society.