JUST IN: Tamunominini Makinde laments challenges of menstrual hygiene of girl-child

The wife of Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Mrs Tamunominini Makinde, has lamented that poor menstrual hygiene has been a significant challenge for some girls due to lack of access to good sanitary pads, clean public toilets, menstrual hygiene management, among others.

She made the submission yesterday, during the commemoration of this year’s Menstrual Hygiene Day, held at the House of Chiefs, Parliament Building, Secretariat, Ibadan.

Mrs Makinde, while speaking at the event tagged: “A Day out with the Girls of Oyo State,” noted that the event was to discuss and give proper menstrual education to girls in the state, adding that it was important for them to know how to take care of themselves during their menstrual period.

According to her: “Healthcare is crucial during menstruation as your body undergoes natural hormonal changes, your menstrual hygiene matters because it directly impacts your wellbeing, education and self-confidence.”

“Educate yourself and break the silence of menstrual challenges by talking to a trusted guardian whenever the need arises.”

“I’m glad we have the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Women Affairs here, and I hope they will work with school authorities to ensure that girls have clean toilets, changing rooms and others in various schools in Oyo State.”

She, however, appealed to teachers teaching related subjects on menstrual hygiene to teach girls on menstrual cycle and menstrual hygiene, saying teachers as role models for the girls should create enabling environment to teach them about menstrual hygiene and protect them from persons who might not understand the challenges they are going through during their menstruation.

“Parents and guardians should also support in breaking the silence and sigma surrounding this message by talking to them about menstrual cycle and share their experience with them which can motivated them to seek help when needed.”

Mrs Makinde, however, commended Governor ‘Seyi Makinde for his support towards the success of the programme also thanking the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs for donating 3,000 reusable sanitary pads for the girls.

In her remark, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs Monilola Udoh, said research has shown that some girls missed school hours due to lack of sanitary items, saying about 52 million women and young girls experience menstruation with almost 70 percent of them having no access to sanitary pads.

“One in ten girls miss school like 48 days in a year, lack of information and access to safe sanitary products and clean water, as well as cultural and religious reasons, shame, stigma and misinformation surrounding menstruation, are contributing factors to serious human right concerns for women and girls.”

“These make them vulnerable to gender discrimination, child marriages, exclusion, violence, poverty and untreated health problems which has a devastating effect not only in terms of their educational development.”

“Research also showed that girls are more brilliant than boys, but when girls reach their menstrual age, menstruation hinders them from doing well in school because they might not even go to school for five days because they are menstruating,” Mrs Udoh submitted.

She, therefore, said good hygiene and exercise are one of the solutions to the challenges of menstruation.