Over 37 million Nigerian women and girls face the grim reality of period poverty, unable to afford sanitary pads, according to former Minister of Women’s Affairs, Pauline Tallen.
?This dire situation has worsened due to skyrocketing prices, leaving many unable to work or attend school.
According to a published report yesterday, which delved into the struggles of Nigerian women and girls coping with menstrual hygiene, the cost of sanitary pads has surged, with some brands now selling for as high as N2,980.
Quoting a widow and mother of three teenage girls, Mrs. Joy Anyanwu, shared her distress at watching her daughters resort to using rags during their periods due to the family’s financial constraints. Many families, like Joy’s, can barely afford basic necessities, let alone menstrual hygiene products.
Some parents report their children missing school or exams due to lack of access to pads. Sadly, the current high cost of sanitary pads has pushed many more into period poverty, restricting their ability to work, study and participate in daily life.
Nigeria, over the years, has continued to face challenges in menstrual hygiene management.
For instance, a study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) based on a survey conducted in the north-western state of Kaduna shows that only 37 percent of women aged 15–49 have everything they need such as clean materials, a facility, pain medication, and places to dispose of used products for proper menstrual hygiene.
This crisis extends beyond education. Medical experts warn of the severe health risks associated with poor menstrual hygiene, including infections and complications during childbirth. Yet, access to affordable menstrual products remains a distant dream for many.
According to World Bank Statistics, though Menstrual Health and Hygiene, (MHH), is essential to the well-being and empowerment of women and adolescent girls, on any given day, more than 300 million women worldwide are menstruating.
?In total, an estimated 500 million people lack access to menstrual products and adequate facilities for Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM), the report shows. The report, therefore, recommends that to effectively manage their menstruation, girls and women require access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, (WASH), facilities, affordable and appropriate menstrual hygiene materials, information on good practices, and a supportive environment where they can manage menstruation without embarrassment or stigma.
As the situation worsens, urgent action is needed to address period poverty and ensure access to essential menstrual hygiene products for all Nigerian women and girls.
