Menstrual Hygiene Day: Mrs Makinde laments challenges of menstrual hygiene of girl-child

….As 1,100 girls from Secondary schools across 33 LGA benefits on maintenance of menstrual hygiene

Wife of Oyo state Governor, Engr. Tamunominini Makinde has lamented on how menstrual hygiene still a significant challenges for girls child due to lack of access to good sanitary pads, clean public toilets and poor menstrual hygiene management.

Mrs Makinde made the statement during “A Day out with the Girls of Oyo state” to commemorate the ‘Menstrual Hygiene Day’ which is usually hold every 19th of July of the year.

Mrs Makinde noted that the event was to discuss and give proper menstrual education to girls in the state, adding that it is imperative for girls to know how to take care of themselves during their menstrual period.

According to her, “healthcare is crucial during menstruation as your body undergo natural hormonal changes, your menstrual hygiene matters because it directly impact to your well-being, education and self confidence”.

“Educate yourself and break the silence of menstrual challenges by talking to trusted guardian whenever the needed arises”.

“I’m glad we have the Permanent Secretary in Ministry of Women Affairs here, and I hope they will work with school authority to ensure that have clean toilets, changing rooms and other in various schools in Oyo State”.

She however appealed to teachers teaching related subject to menstrual hygiene to teach girls on menstrual cycle and menstrual hygiene, noting that teachers as a role model for the girls should create enabliing environment to teach the girls about menstrual hygiene and protect them from person who may not understand the challenges they are going through during their menstruation.

“Parent and guardians should support in breaking silence and stigma surrounding this message by talking to them about menstrual cycle and share their experience with them which can motivate them to seek help when needed”.

Mrs Makinde however commended the governor of the state, Engr. Seyi Makinde for his support towards the success of the program, thanking the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs for donating 3,000 re-usable sanitary pad for the girls.

In her remark, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs Monilola Udoh said that research has shown that some girl misses School due to lack of sanitary items, stressed that about 52 million women and young girls experience menstruation with almost 70 percent of them with no access to sanitary pads.

She said, “One in ten girls missed school like 48 days in a year, lack of information and access to safe sanitary products and clean water as well as cultural and religious reasons, shame, stigma and misinformation surrounding menstruation are contributing factors to serious human right concern for women and girls”.

“This make them vulnerable to gender discrimination, child marriages, exclusion, violence, poverty and untreated health problems which has devastating effect not only in terms of their educational development.”

“Research also show that girls are more brilliant than boys, but when girls reach their menstrual age, menstruation hinder them from doing well in school because they might not even go to School for five days because they are menstruating.”

She therefore said that good hygiene and exercise is one of the solutions to challenges of menstruation.