Foundation implores the government to provide menstrual kits for secondary school girls

  The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has warned Nigerians against menstrual discrimination against women, especially girls, and called on the government and relevant stakeholders to provide adequate sanitation and free products to promote menstrual hygiene in the country. Proponents first created Menstrual Health Day in 2014 to highlight the importance of menstrual health management education, which empowers menstrual patients to fully participate in society and lead healthy and confident lives. For the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), May 28 signifies the woman's menstrual cycle, as the fertile period lasts 28 days, just as an average period lasts five days, confirming the May date. Therefore, May 28th is celebrated to mark the change that occurs in a female body. This year's theme, "Make menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030," aims to create a world where no girl is without safety gear, has easy access to hygiene items, and menstruation becomes a normal topic of public discussion could become. Steve Aborisade, Marketing Manager of AHF Nigeria, who made the call over the weekend to mark this year's Menstrual Hygiene Day (MHD), said that of the 1.8 billion people who menstruate worldwide, 500 million are denied access to safe facilities and hygiene products that offer a healthy way to manage your period. In addition, Dr. Echey Ijezie, the foundation's Nigeria Country Program Director, pointed out that while governments around the world are easing COVID-19 restrictions, people who are menstruating are going back to their various pursuits, while trying to manage their periods. Meanwhile, PadUp Africa and Women in PENGASSAN ran a campaign to end menstrual poverty in schools over the weekend. Both institutions distributed hygiene products to students and trained both male and female students. Ashley Lori, Executive Director of PadUp Africa, maintained that the purpose of the program is to advocate for free renewable or single-use sanitary napkins so girls can stay in school. She asked the federal government to ensure the availability of free sanitary pads in schools across the country.

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