+

Our Girls Matter: Menstrual Hygiene Management in

Nigeria, Education and Male Participation.

Deborah Dauda for Leading Everyone to Participate in Africa (LEPA) Initiative

+Outline

Why Does it Matter? Why Now?

Definition of Key Terms

Menstrual Hygiene Management in Nigeria

Taboos

Practices

Absenteeism related to menstruation

Possible Solutions- Building Allies

The role of men/fathers

Current project –LEPA (Leading Everyone to Participate in Africa)- MHM

Curriculum for Adolescent girls in Nigeria.

QUESTIONS!

+What Is Menstrual Hygiene

Management (MHM)?

+It Means……

Women and adolescents are using a clean, and readily available menstrual

management material ( i.e. reusable/disposable pads, menstrual cups, and

tampons) to absorb or collect blood for the entire duration of their cycle.

Ensuring adequate water, cleaning and washing materials (soap, water,

etc..)are available and accessible, without risk.

AND

Private spaces for managing menstrual flows, safely, hygienically and with

dignity, in the home and in public spaces are available, and without risks.

+Why Does it Matter?

On any day 300 million women and girls worldwide will

be menstruating (George, 2013).

In Nigeria, between 31% and 56 % of girls use toilet

tissue paper as an absorbent (Torondel, 2013).

In Ethiopia, 90% of the schools lack water supply,

separate toilet for boys and girls and the existing toilets

lack privacy (Tsegaye, et.al, 2011).

In Malawi menstruating girls had to bathe separately to

parents and stop talking to boys ( Prestwich, 2013)

+Why Now?

Menstrual hygiene management is a human rights issue but

has been put on the backburner for far too long, and

excluded in programming related to SRHR of young people.

As Gloria Steinem eloquently puts it:

“If men could menstruate... menstruation would be an enviable,

boast-worthy, masculine event: Men would brag about how long

and how much. Boys would mark the onset of menses, that

longed-for proof of manhood, with religious ritual and stage

parties. Congress would fund a National Institute of

Dysmenorrhea to help stamp out monthly discomforts. Sanitary

supplies would be federally funded and free.”

+Breaking Down Taboos

Source: Celebrating Womanhood: How Better Menstrual Hygiene Management is the

Path to Better Health, Dignity and Business by Rose George for WSSCRC

+Men: What Activities Do You Feel

Women Should Abstain from While

Menstruating.

RESPONSES PLEASE!

+Women: What Would/Wouldn't You

Do While Menstruating?

RESPONSE PLEASE!

+What About in Nigeria’s Context??

Taboo/Stigma

Compulsory Abstinence: “Our husbands don’t look at us... They

only give us five days free from sex” (House et.al, 2012)

Religious Restriction: The Celestial Churches in Nigeria believe a

woman/girl should not touch any juju (charm) during

menstruation or it will become ineffective (House et.al, 2012)

Exclusion/Alienation: Menstruating women and girls are forced

into seclusion, suffer reduced mobility and dietary restrictions,

and can be prevented, through cultural norms, from participating

in daily activities.

More Examples from Audience!

+How Does Taboo/Stigma Affect

MHM Practices ?

The culture of silence surrounding Mensuration increases the

vulnerability of girls, and can lead to unhygienic menstrual

practice, isolation, low self-esteem, and violence/abuse.

A Study conducted by water Aid, found that 95% of girls in

rural Ghana felt embarrassed during their last period and

90% said they felt ashamed (Betteridge, 2013)

In Malawi, 82% did not know about menstruation before the

onset of menarche and Girls were also excluded from water

sources during menstruation and prohibited from cooking or

bathing in some communities (Betteridge, 2013)

+Meanwhile, In Nigeria……

Survey of 495 post menarche Nigerian schoolgirls discovered that 44.8% of

girls had no preparation for menarche.

Only 8.8% of the girls had received training from aid workers or teachers.

More than half of the girls surveyed described the experience of

menarche as frightful or confusing.

In Nigeria, the national toilet-to-pupil ratio is one latrine to 292 students.

And even the ones available are run-down and lack privacy and washing

stations/supplies.

Source: WaterAid.org, Anibue, 2009

+Continued..

Source: House et. al,

2012

+School Absenteeism and

Menstruation.

“Menstrual hygiene has always been shrouded

in secrecy for me and I believe it is fair to say that I speak for

most of the world’s male population. It had never occurred to me

that women and girls 'never wear white' when they have their

period. As it will never have occurred to the thousands and

thousands of headmasters of schools over the world that burden

girls with light colored uniform dresses.” -Rolf Luyendijk,

UNICEF

+What Issues/Concerns Might Prevent

a Girl from Attending School While on

Her Period?

Source: Keep Girls in School Period

+Why Are Men/fathers Critical In Reducing

Stigma and Promoting Positive MHM?

As Head of Household, decision making power- Money for sanitary supplies- thus preventing the exposure of young girls to risk involving the exchange of sex for money

Can be empowering to young girls- Having fathers, involved and understanding of their growth/development.

Reduces the burden on women/mothers.

Men/fathers can sensitize boys and involve them in debunking myths and reducing stigma associated with menstruation.

Could have intergenerational benefits, mitigate child marriage- i.e. If fathers understands that menstruation doesn’t mean daughter is physiologically prepared for motherhood.

AUDIENCE, MORE EXAMPLES PLEASE !!!!

+Why Do Some Men Cringe/

Reluctant/Uncomfortable Discussing

Menstruation?

Source: House et.al, 2012

+Being Politically Correct (The

Power in Words)…..

[Menstruation] is not a sexy issue. Politicians don't like it. Women too have a certain hesitation. We need to get old

women on board, and old men.

In Sierra Leone, [a] girl wanted to use tampons so she could go swimming, her grandmother said she wouldn't have

tampons in her house.”

Varina Tjon A Ten, former Dutch parliamentarian, The Hague University

+Making “Uncomfortable” Words

‘Politically Correct’.

Audience Get Up and Get the Following

Words out of your system :

Menstruation

Vagina

+Will You Take The Pledge and Help

Break the Silence?

Pledge for Girls/Women and Boys/Men:

I will break the silence on menstruation

I will not feel shy; I will take pride

I will spread the word outside and inside the home

Source: Water Supply Sanitation and Collaborative Council (WSSCC)

+ Current Project

LEPA (Leading Everyone to Participate in Africa)

Initiative

Mission: To empower, inspire, mentor and build the

leadership capacity of African and Diasporan

Youth.

Three overarching Plan-of-Action:

1. The realization of the rights of girls,

2. The active participation of African youths in all

levels of civil society,

3. And the building of stronger relationships

between Africans in the Diaspora and those on

the continent.

+Continued…

The development of a MHM curriculum for Nigerian School girls is

part of the First Plan of Action (The Realization of the Rights of

Girls).

Needs Assessment Survey is under revision

Mentorship Support from The Red Elephant Foundation (India)

Grants!! Funding, etc..

+Sources

Aniebue, U. U., Aniebue, P. N., & Nwankwo, T. O. (2009). The Impact of Pre-Menarcheal Training on Menstrual Practices and Hygiene of Nigerian School Girls. Pan African Medical Journal , 2 (9), 2-9.

Betteridge, A. (2013). Why We Need to Talk About Periods: Menstrual Hygiene Management in Development Practice. The Development Policy Center, DevPolicy Blog. Development Policy Center.

George, R. (2013). Celebrating Womanhood: Menstrual Hygiene Management . Water Supply & Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC). Geneva: Water Supply & Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC).

Georgina, P. (2013). An Exploratory Study into Menstrual Hygiene Management Amongst Rural, Primary Schoolgirls in Uganda: What Implications does Menstrual Related Absenteeism have for Future Interventions? .Irise.

House, S., Mahon, T., & Cavill, S. (2012). Menstrual Hygiene Matters A Resource for Improving Menstrual Hygiene Around the World. WaterAid.org. WaterAid.

Onyilo, G., Onabolu, B., Mohammed, F., & Gege, A. The Nigerian Girls Education Project: Giving The Girl Child a Voice.

Sumpter, C., & Torondel, B. (2013). A Systematic Review of the Health and Social Effects of Menstrual Hygiene Management . PLoS ONE , 8 (4), 1-15.

Tsegaye, Z., Tamiru, S., Kitaba, A., & Getachew, F. (2011). Towards a Local Solution for Menstrual Hygiene Management in Schools. WASH. SNV Netherlands Development Organisation .

+Questions/Comments?

Email: Lepa86@gmail.com

Twitter: @YeyeLepa

“Thank You”

“Asante Sana”

“Ese Pupo”

“Obrigada”

“Gracias”

“Merci”