The Tonto Dikeh Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) on Tuesday took the message against stigmatisation of young girls in their menstrual periods especially by the opposite sex to a school in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the sensitisation programme was in commemorstion of the World Menstrual Health Day marked on Tuesday.
The campaign, in collaboration with Miss Health, anither NGO had the theme: ‘It’s time for action’.
It had many students of Anglican Girls Grammar School (AGGS), Apo, Abuja in attendance, some of who asked important questions about their personal experiences, challenges of stigmatisation and solutions.
Tonto said that the awareness was necessary considering the stigma young girls often face from classmates and boys within their immediate environment when they begin their menstrual experience.
She said streesed the need for young girls to be adequately educated on how to maintain good personal health hygiene while menstruating.
“So many young girls feel embarrassed when they begin to menstruate and most times don’t know how to go about it and by feeling that way they become insecure around their peers.
“This sensitisation programme is to help them understand that it is only normal to menstruate monthly and that is what makes them women,” she said.
Tonto added that the NGO had embarked on several of such health campaigns alongside Miss Health Africa and Nigeria.
Mrs Nkasiobim Nebo, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), PeachAid Medical Initiative, said that it was of essence to impact on young girls with the appropriate health knowledge they needed to feel comfortable in their skin.
She advised the students to ensure they wash up and change their sanitary wears within two to four hours daily to prevent getting infected.
Miss Queen Ivory Chidi, Winner of the 2018 Miss Health Africa Pageant said that the basis of the programme was to educate girls that menstrual flow was only normal and they should not feel stigmatised.
“We are saying it’s time for action just as the theme suggests.
“The urgency of this public health issue can never be over emphasised and girls should feel comfortable about it.
“In collaboration with the Tonto Dikeh Foundation, we also plan on carrying out a sensitisation programme to educate young boys on the issue of stigmatisation against girls,” she said. (NAN)