End Period poverty wey still dey affect many Nigerian women and schoolgirls - sabi pipo

Wen Mercy Dede, a form teacher for one govment secondary school for Mbiama, Rivers State for southern Nigeria, call di class register for her SS2 class, she note say one of her students Ada [no be her real name], no dey class and wonder why she miss school since di school year just begin.

Later, di classmates tell her say Ada miss school becos she dey on her monthly period.

Dis no be first time Ada dey miss school becos of menstruation.

She dey among di 24% of Nigerian school girls wey di World bank say dey miss school becos of dia menstruation due to a lack of menstrual products.

Di consequence of dis na say dis consistent disruption dey lead to academic setbacks, impact dia learning outcomes, and significantly increase dia risk of dropping out, wey go also limit dia future opportunities and kontinu cycles of disadvantage.

Period poverty dey happun wen women and girls no get access to safe, clean and affordable menstrual products like pads, sanitary facilities and proper education on menstrual health.

Sake of dis, dem go dey use tins like rags, newspaper or even leaves to manage dia periods.

Unicef add say an estimated 37 million women and girls for Nigeria dey suffer period poverty becos dem lack access and no fit afford hygienic menstrual products.

Effective menstrual hygiene management no dey possible without adequate Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities and privacy.

Across Nigeria, many schools and public places lack proper, gender-segregated toilets, clean water, and private changing rooms.

Approximately 25% of Nigerian women no get adequate privacy to manage dia menstruation with dignity, and dis dey lead to discomfort, shame, and unhygienic practices.

For Ada wey be househelp, na old wrapper pieces she dey use. For many young girls, na toilet roll dem dey use during dia period as dem no fit afford to buy menstrual pads becos di price in recent times don cost.

A pack of menstrual pads wey bin dey cost between 200 to 400 ($0.27) naira about three years ago dey cost between 500 and 750 ($0.30) or more now, and many women and girls no fit afford am.

A Guidance counsellor Modupe Ejuaye identify painful menstrual cramps as anoda reasons why some school girls dey miss school during dia period.

"Some girls dey get serious menstrual pain wey dey land dem for hospital. Sake of dat dem fit miss school during 3, 4, 5 days wey dem dey see dia period.

Dis dey sometimes affect dia mental health as some of dem get depressed becos of di pain dem dey suffer as di pain fit come a day or two bifor di period go come or stay a day or two after di period end."

How to tackle period poverty?

A menstrual hygiene advocate Elizabeth Aderonke Odukoya say to give proper education about menstrual health and hygiene to girls of school age dey very important becos proper knowledge and understanding go empower dem.

"Tackling period poverty no just dey about providing pads but na about protecting di dignity of girls and creating a lasting and meaningful change wia young girls go understand wetin menstruation be and dem no go shame but go dey proud and confident say dem don dey see dia menses."

She say a combination of direct support, advocacy and providing sustainable solutions na ogbonge ways to help by:

.Providing free sanitary pads for schools so no girl go miss school becos of her period.

.Teach dem how to make reuseable sanitary pads wey dem fit wash and reuse and teach dem how to properly care for am. Dis one go help girls wey no fit afford di disposable pads.

.Through workshops, outreach and educational materials, tok openly about periods: wetin e be, how to manage am and why dem no need to dey ashamed of am becos period na normal part of life, no be sometin dem go dey fear.

.Break di myths and stigma wey surround periods.

.Help boys to also learn about periods and understand say period dey normal and healthy.

.Provide good sanitary facilities like beta toilets for schools wia girls fit get privacy to change dia pads and take care of demsefs in a clean and hygienic environment.

.Provide support for schools, parents/guardians, local leaders and healthcare professionals to help girls get di care and support dem need about dia period.

Engage in campaigns both online and offline to help more pipo understand why period poverty na serious problem and why e need to stop.

Period poverty dey happen wen women and girls no get access to safe, clean and affordable menstrual products.

Reusable sanitary pads na a good option wey young school girls fit get a menstrual product wey dem fit take manage demsefs wey dey safe and economical.