Kogi First Lady, Stakeholders canvas for more menstrual hygiene, supportive legal framework for girl child »

Kogi State First Lady, Mrs. Rashidat Bello has canvassed for more education on menstrual hygiene and stronger legislation to protect the interest of young girls in the society.

The first lady made this call recently at the Government House in Lokoja while speaking at an event tagged; “Pay Attention To Her” convened by an NGO, Heal For Africa Initiative.

Mrs. Rashidat Bello who lauded the convener for her key interest in such a sensitive area of health concern for the girl child, especially in the Sub-Sahara Africa, called for further support in order to reach more girl children.

She advised parents to always pay close attention to their daughters as they grow into maturity, noting that education in the area of Menstrual Hygiene Management was very paramount and the need to facilitate legislations or avenues that would make sanitary pads easily available and more accessible for every girl child be explored.

The First Lady promised that her office was at all times open to such initiatives which would help nip in the bud the consequences of poor menstrual hygiene.

In her opening remarks, The Convener of the Pay Attention To Her initiative, Dr. Kelechi Okoro explained that the event which was to commemorate the globally celebrated World Menstruation Day was her own way of safeguarding the health of the girl child in the society and also adding value to it.

She said the event which was holding simultaneously in some other parts of the country was beyond giving out sanitary materials to young girls, but more importantly to educate them on the importance of proper Menstrual Hygiene Management and also bring stakeholders together to discuss how legislative options could be soughted.

The Keynote speaker and Director General Kogi State Bureau of Public Procurement, Dr. Mrs. Stella Adejoh in her brief lecture affirmed that based on global index, at least 500 million women and girls lacked adequate facilities for Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM), inadequte WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) facilities particularly in public places.

The gender expert explained that key issues confronting the girl child in effective Menstrual Hygiene Management included low availability of Sanitary towel, high cost of sanitary pads, poor knowledge of menstrual hygiene management and insufficient access to safe and private sanitation facilities.

Dr. Stella however recommended that commitment should be made to ensuring the availability of sanitation services for the girl child right from home, at schools and public arears, while she also engage in more effective sensitisation.

High point of the event was the presentation of an honourary award to the First Lady, Mrs. Rashidat Bello as the Global Ambassador for Menstrual Hygiene Management for her numerous contributions to the dignity, bodily intergrity and overall life opportunity of the girl child.