The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, Cross River State Chapter has led the campaign on Menstrual Hygiene with the donation of Sanitary towels to students of Secondary Schools in the State.
The gesture is in commemoration of this year’s World Menstrual Hygiene Day. Research shows that Women and girls have over the years been faced with challenges in managing their monthly menstrual cycle.
These challenges are often associated with negative social norms such as stigma, taboos, ignorance or the lack of proper education attributed to be possible reasons.
The celebration of this year’s world Menstrual Hygiene Day therefore affords the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists an opportunity to break this silence and taboos while also raising awareness to change the narrative.
Led by the State Chairman of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists( NAWOJ), Cross River State, Comrade Umo Basi-Edet said there’s need to enlighten the young ones on proper Menstrual Hygiene.
The day, is not only an opportunity to raise awareness, but also to strengthen government accountability as it relates to menstrual hygiene management issues, address the challenges and hardships women and girls face during their menstruation period.
She said the day was also set aside to engage in policy dialogue and advocate for the integration of menstrual hygiene by encouraging government and corporate Organisations to support female menstrual hygiene through sponsorship and policy formulation.
Mrs. Umo-Basi advised Women and girls to be neat at all times and to take seriously every action that will help their menstrual hygiene as it impacts positively on overall population wellbeing.
Comrade Umo BasI Edet appealed to individuals to join hands and support the goal of female hygiene through by making Menstrual products readily accessible. To match action with words, NAWOJ also marked the day by donating sanitary pads to students.
Principal Government Secondary School, Adiabo, Odukpani Local Government Area, Mr Charles Ekpenyong and the students expressed joy to NAWOJ Cross River State, for their Kind gesture.
The theme for this year’s celebration is “We need to step up action and investment in menstrual health and hygiene now”.
