By Ezra Ukanwa, Abuja

PRESIDENT Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has been urged to ensure accessibility of health products to school girls, as part of efforts to end period poverty in Nigeria.

This call was made by Women in Energy, Oil and Gas, WEOG Nigeria, Pad Up Africa, Shield Girls2Women Initiative, including one of the critical stakeholders PENGASSAN Women Commission (Kaduna Zone), among others, during a Menstrual Hygiene Walk/ Campaign to End Period Poverty In Schools, on Saturday, in Abuja.

The walk spanned from Jabi Lake Park to Jabi Lake Mall where the women and school girls from GSS Idu-Koro, GSS Gwa Gwa and GSS Mabushi walked passionately displaying numerous placards that speak to engendering Menstrual hygiene and ending period poverty in schools.

They, however, distributed menstrual books to the girl-children and the general public to educate them on menstruation, their menstrual cycle, Menstrual hygiene tips and how to note observations to quickly track any anomalies that would necessitate the need for them to seek medical intervention. Sanitary pads were also distributed.

According to the women’s groups the Government and general public must contribute towards equipping the girl child with Menstrual materials and sanitary pads as well as potable water supply in schools to ensure that hygiene is maintained.

Addressing journalists, the National External Relations Director, WEOG Nigeria, Dame Hasiya Hassan Audu emphasized on the history and essence of Menstrual and general hygiene.

Furthermore, Audu highlighted the need for individual and collective commitment to ensure that Menstruation is a normal fact of life by 2030 which is the focus of this year’s Menstrual Hygiene Day Theme.

She said: “WEOG’s 5th Anniversary of existence of serving as a fundamental channel of bridging gender energy gaps in the male dominated Energy, Oil & Gas Sector and utilize this day to raise awareness to the girl-child on the essence of Menstrual hygiene as well as the importance for educating the female populace especially the girl-child with accurate information about menstruation and menstrual hygiene, breaking stigmas and taboos surrounding the subject. Menstrual hygiene education promotes a healthy attitude towards menstruation and enables girls and women to manage their periods with dignity and confidence thereby building healthy leaders of tomorrow.”

The Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Pad Up Africa, Ashley Lori, stressed the essence of sensitization as a means to debunking the myth around Menstrual stigmatization of girls as well the need for setting up of more pad banks in schools.

The PWC National and Zonal Chairpersons, Comrade Maryann Mbanaso and Comrade Yetunde Adelakun-Rufus encouraged the children and emphasized on the importance of maintaining Menstrual hygiene during their periods and also the need to safely dispose of their sanitary pads after use.

They also encouraged the girls to use the Menstrual book to educate themselves on their respective cycles and the need to be self confident.

The SHIELDGirls2Women Initiative representative, Ms Hannatu Ojirobe spoke about the need for the girls to be aware that it’s a natural phenomenon to experience their menstruation and that it should, in no way, affect her self esteem and normal functioning as a human being.