{"id":32257,"date":"2019-05-30T03:50:13","date_gmt":"2019-05-30T02:50:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationalwire.com.ng\/?p=32257"},"modified":"2019-05-30T03:50:13","modified_gmt":"2019-05-30T02:50:13","slug":"menstrual-hygiene-day-cee-hope-advocates-for-free-sanitary-pads-at-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nationalwire.com.ng\/sub\/menstrual-hygiene-day-cee-hope-advocates-for-free-sanitary-pads-at-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"Menstrual Hygiene Day: CEE-HOPE Advocates For Free Sanitary Pads At Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"
In light of the increasing difficulty that needy women and girls face in handling their monthly periods due to lack of access to sanitary products, an NGO has called on the Nigerian government to provide free sanitary pads for such women.<\/p>\n
The Centre for Children\u2019s Health Education, Orientation and Protection (CEE-HOPE), an NGO that works with vulnerable children especially girls, made the call at a one-day conference in Lagos which drew about 250 children from 15 schools across Lagos and Ogun States as well as medical personnel, activists, teachers, journalists and others. The conference was held in collaboration with the NGO, Girls On A Mission (GOAM), Australia to mark the \u2018International Menstrual Hygiene Day\u2019 2019.<\/p>\n
Betty Abah, CEE-HOPE\u2019s founder and Executive Director, in her opening comments said the conference would serve the double purpose of drawing attention of the government and other stakeholders to the difficulties that women and girls in prison, detention centres, in Internally Displaced (IDP) camps, those fleeing conflicts, those with mental health issues and those facing economic difficulties, face.<\/p>\n
\u2018Before now period was regarded as a taboo topic but it is time to end the silence and put it in public burners this is something that affects millions of girls especially because we are going through a major economic depression and many families\u2019 purchasing powers are down to zero. It\u2019s time to ask questions such as \u2018can sanitary pads be made more affordable for our women and girls? Can government help with tax reductions or even make it tax-free so that needy women can afford them? Can they be distributed free of charge as is being done already in other countries? She asked. According to her, the lack of money to purchase sanitary pads put many girls in very vulnerable situation which make them to be involved in contractual sex to get money to buy pads and many get infected in the process while many girls miss school when they are in their period and have no money to buy pads.<\/p>\n
Abah also said the event was also sensitise the school girls on how to avoid rape since they are the ones mostly targeted for rape as well as provide career and motivational talks.<\/p>\n
Doctor and Founder, Atayese Health Network and Bambo Hospital, Dr. Adeolu Olusodo, also buttressed the point that the issue of menstrual hygiene should be given more attention by government as women are at the centre of procreation and therefore most relevant in the sustainability of humankind. Dr Olusodo who also runs medical services for the ultra-poor in slum communities across Lagos lectured the students on the biology of menstrual cycle and how they can understand their cycle and report abnormalities.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/em> Participants at the conference<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Yinka Kenny, founder of the YinkaKenny Girls Care Foundation spoke on menstrual hygiene management. According to her, \u201cMenstruation is a responsibility that nature has bestowed upon us, it cannot be avoided and we need to ensure we do our bit to stay healthy in order to avoid infections.\u201d She also advocated for free sanitary pads for economically-disadvantaged women and girls, and like Oludodo, also took questions from several of the school girls.<\/p>\n
Eminent rape crises management expert and Executive Director, Media Concern for Women and Children (MEDIACON), Dr. Princess Olufemi-Kayode, Executive Director, addressed the children on steps to take to avoid rape. She explained that once they attain puberty, they can be pregnant and urged them to ensure they avoid unprotected sex and rape.<\/p>
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