Poor menstrual hygiene mgt, barrier to girls’ education- Mamita Bora Thakkar, UNICEF WASH Manager

Poor menstrual hygiene management can lead to missed education opportunities for girls – Mamita Bora Thakkar, UNICEF WASH Manage

The United Nations Children’s Fund has said that lack of improved menstrual health management constitutes barriers to girls’ education. The agency has therefore called on authorities to improve gender-segregated sanitation facilities to improve access to education for girls.
Mamita Bora Thakkar, UNICEF WASH Manager said this during an interview to commemorate the annual Menstrual Hygiene Day in Maiduguri.

According to the UNICEF Official, a study supported by the children’s agency revealed that cultural beliefs as well as inadequate and poor WASH facilities in schools impact girls’ experience of menstruation.

“UNICEF’s support to menstrual health and hygiene is aimed at improving outcomes on education, health, and gender equality for girls and women.

“We believe that menstrual health and hygiene is fundamental to the dignity and wellbeing of women and girls and an important part of the basic hygiene, sanitation, and reproductive health services to which every woman and girl has a right.

“When appropriate menstrual health and hygiene management services are available, it can address barriers to education, health, livelihood, dignity and empowerment of adolescent girls,’’ she said.

Thakkar therefore called on government to improve the state of WASH facilities in northeast Nigeria.

“In northeast Nigeria, UNICEF is supporting the government to strengthen the enabling environment through appropriate policy and program framework that can potentially address the gaps.

“UNICEF strongly believes that the government must provide a strong leadership in policy and program implementation, resource allocation and in monitoring progress.

“In its technical support role, UNICEF is leveraging its global and national experience to support northeast states in Nigeria with the establishment of a Technical Working Group,’’ she added.

The WASH Manager added that UNICEF is supporting the governments in northeast Nigeria to provide training on the production of reusable sanitary pad for better menstrual hygiene management for girls.

“In line with UNICEF’s programming framework for menstrual hygiene management in Nigeria, especially in the northeast states, UNICEF has supported states to improve access to gender disaggregated toilets and water facilities with proper handwashing stations in schools, so that girls can manage menstruation in privacy and with dignity.

“Girls’ friendly toilet designs have been standardised, which now guides the implementation of these infrastructure. UNICEF has supported training of teachers through special modules targeted at building knowledge and skills on MHHM. To improve access to pads, in many of the UNICEF is actively supporting training of the girls and female teachers on the local production of reusable sanitary pads in the region,’’ she added.