Stakeholders calls for inclusion in menstrual health management

Mrs Pauline Tallen, Minister of Women Affairs and Tabitha Cumi Foundation (TCF), an NGO have called for inclusion of women and girls with disability in menstrual health and hygiene management policies.

They made the call at a training on Wednesday organised by TCF in commemoration of the 2022 Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management Day celebration held at Abuja School of the Deaf, Kuje, FCT.

Tallen, represented by Ms Gloria Ekanem of gender unit in the ministry said faced by girls and women with disabilities faced lot of challenges in accessing menstrual health and hygiene management.

The minister said such vulnerable group should be considered in infrastructure designs, policies and provision of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene facilities.

“Maintaining menstrual health hygiene and practices for all these women and their families is challenging, therefore an unending uphill struggle to which people require a lot of mental and physical support.

“When it comes to communication and interacting with these children to convey information concerning menstruation, the interpreter needs to be accurate.

“As it could be dangerous too if they interpret the information incorrectly and follow wrong practices,” she said.

She encouraged other organisations to also support government in providing materials and creating awareness on menstrual health and hygiene to girls and women.

Mrs Tayo Erinle, Executive Director, TCF said the distribution of hygiene kits and sanitary pad to mark the day was part of its Always Keeping Girls in School (AKGIS) project.

Erinle said the one-year project implemented by the organisation was sponsored by Procter and Gamble (P&G) to empower 1,500 girls in 20 FCT schools and 10 schools in Abeokuta.

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NAN