By Ahmed Ahmed
Stakeholders in Bauchi have expressed concern over poor access to menstrual hygiene materials among adolescents and young women.
They reiterated that women and girls are still being discriminated in the society whenever they are experiencing menstruation,
The stakeholders pointed out that many girls don’t have equal opportunity to attend the same hours in classes with their boys counterparts.
Mr Afolabi Ahmed, The Project Coordinator Plan International Bauchi expressed the concern while commemorating 2022 World Menstrual Hygiene Day on Saturday in Bauchi.
He said Plan International trained 61 In and out-of-school adolescent girls and young women on Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) in the state.
Ahmed, observed that 25% of women and adolescents in Nigeria lack adequate privacy to the menstrual hygiene management facility.
He said with the support of Kimberly-Clark Corporation (Kotex)
61 Adolescent peer educators in three local government areas of
Bauchi, Katagum and Ningi, one each from the 3 senatorial zones in the state.
“Across all 58 wards of the 3 LGAs who in turn have enrolled 1,525 adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 with 976 completely reached with MHM messaging during peer sessions at the community level.
“The project seeks to reach a total of 2,520 adolescents directly by April 2023,” he said.
The Project Coordinator expressed concern that women and girls are still being discriminated in the society whenever they are experiencing menstruation,
Ahmed added that many girls don’t have equal opportunity to attend the same hours in classes with their boys counterparts.
“Due to lack of access to menstrual hygiene and sanitary materials, especially water and toilet facilities,” Ahmed said
He stressed the need for mothers and teachers to feel free and talk to their children and students about menstrual hygiene to end discrimination and promote good menstrual hygiene.
In her remark, Hajiya Fatima Abdullahi, Director women affairs in the state ministry of women Affairs and Child Development, called for more commitment from stakeholders and relevant organizations to address issues affecting menstrual hygiene management.
She appreciates Plan International, Kotex and Community Initiative for the Promotion of Health and Education Sectors (CIPrHES), for choosing Bauchi as one of the benefiting states of their Menstrual Hygiene Management Project.
The Director reiterated the commitment of the Ministry in sustaining collaboration to address issues relating to menstrual hygiene in the state.
Our correspondent reports that the World Menstrual day was marked with the theme “We are Committed”.
