Menstrual hygiene among women has been a global issue, with 1.8 billion women menstruating each month. However, 500 million of these women lack facilities for menstrual hygiene management according to the World Bank.
Menstrual hygiene in the education sector ensures that female students manage their menstruation safely, comfortably and with dignity. To achieve this, access to clean menstrual products, proper and clean sanitation facilities, and accurate knowledge of menstrual health are needed. Without this, menstrual hygiene becomes a significant barrier to education, leading to an increase in out of school children, infections and gender inequality in education.
Over the years, menstrual health hygiene in Nigeria public secondary schools has been taught to students mostly by Non-governmental organizations and occasional government initiatives. These NGOs visit randomly selected schools to educate girls -and sometimes boys-, on the different types of menstrual products, their usage and how to keep a healthy menstrual cycle. This practice has helped many girls transition from the traditional way of using rags to modern menstrual products.
However, these efforts are not sustainable because they do not reach all students and as a result 37 million girls and women are subjected to period poverty. Interviews with students of some selected schools in Ibadan-Oyo State revealed their lack of pain management support and the challenges faced in practicing menstrual health hygiene.
Muhydeen Hikmah, a senior student of Ibadan Metropolis Grammar School, narrated how her excruciating experience, which comes with uneasiness and weakness, during her menstrual cycle distract her classes.
“I feel moody and uneasy during my menstrual cycle. At times, I feel sick and dull and my attention is always divided during learning activities due to this pain.
I have a friend that doesn’t go to school for days due to severe menstrual pain.”
While Hikmah manages the pain with hot water or and medication, there is no provision for pain relief drugs in the school, therefore making it difficult for students who experience sudden menstrual cramps during school hours.
Hikmah’s experience showed the urgency of providing menstrual kits which should include menstrual products and drugs in schools. This will help students learn and keep them in school regardless of the time of the month.
Akinpelu Dolapo, a classmate to Hikmah shared that menstrual health has not been taught since she joined the school in junior secondary school 2 (JSS2).
“Aside from NGOs that enlighten us on the menstrual cycle and donate pads, we have never been taught in any subject, Dolapo said.”
This highlights the need for menstrual health hygiene to be incorporated into the school curriculum.
When asked how she changed her pads in school, Dolapo told the reporter she would rather change at home to prevent infections.
Poor Sanitation Facilities
Aderibigbe Fatimah, a student at Immanuel Grammar School, noted that while NGOs educate students on menstrual hygiene, the school toilets are usually locked, leading the students to change pads in the bush.
“Though there is water in the school, the toilets are dirty and closed, so the students move to the bush to change their pads.” NGOs do come to our school to educate us and we have also been taught menstrual hygiene in senior secondary school 1.”
While Ibadan Metropolis Grammar School uses the Essential Biology textbook according to Hikmah, Immanuel Grammar School uses the Modern Biology textbook, this shows the inconsistency in the textbook used by public schools in Ibadan. Meanwhile, having a standardized textbook for all schools will help to achieve equal learning and fairness in assessment in the case of a general examination like WAEC and it will also aid smooth transition such that a student won’t be lost if he or she changes schools.
The situation is common in many public schools. For instance, at Akinyele Grammar School, modern toilets and facilities were constructed in the school, however, the management has put it under lock and keys, leaving the students with no choice than to use the bush or wait till they get home.
Boluwatife, a student at Akinyele Grammar school shared her menstrual experience which revealed the unhealthy menstrual hygiene practices among the female students of the school.
“My menstruation comes with uncomfortability especially when there is a need to change my pad. There is no toilet to change and uneasiness made me take lectures standing most of the time. As soon as the closing bell rings, I rush home.” Boluwatife explained.
Health Risk of Poor Menstrual Hygiene
According to the Healthline, pads get easily soaked depending on the type of pads used or the rate of menstrual flow, which depends on hormones and the time of the day (sunny period). When this occurs, it calls for a change in pad immediately. If it takes extra hours before the pad is changed, it can cause menstrual odor, uncomfortability and infections.
Boluwatife’s case exemplifies this risk. Though there are pads that can last 8 hours before changing, it is better to change once the body becomes uncomfortable. Therefore, toilet facilities should be accessible and clean at all times.
Efforts of the Government in addressing Menstrual Hygiene
In partnership with the Girls to Women Ease Foundation, the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion conducted a street campaign in May 2024, to raise awareness and discuss the side effects of unhygienic use of rags for menstruation, stigma of teenage pregnancy and childhood marriage. While this is a brave and important move, the campaign was not extended to schools, hereby,, limiting its impact on students.
In 2023, it was reported by the Nigerian Tribune that the first Lady of Oyo State, Engr Tamunominini Makinde, had an event themed “Your menstrual hygiene matters” in which 100 girls from the 33 local government areas were in attendance. This program discussed lack of menstrual hygiene management and its effects on girls’ health. At the end of the program, reusable sanitary towels, deodorant and some other essential sanitary materials were distributed to the girls in attendance. However, this is not sustainable as some girls benefitted while some did not. Moreover, it is not a continuous event.
Furthermore, a report by the Nigerian Tribune in May, 2024 disclosed that aside visitations to schools to donate pads and sensitize female students on menstrual hygiene, five NGOs (Pad A Queen Initiative (PAQi), The EME Foundation, The Glea Network, The Great Impact Foundation (TGIF), and the One Voice Initiative (OVI)) took a friendly walk upon themselves to advocate for period-friendly toilets in Oyo State Public Schools. The EME Foundation also championed the petition, to provide free menstrual products in school; provision of toilets and hygienic facilities of United Nation Standard; prioritise menstrual health; organizing training for teachers to menstruating girls, submitted to the office of the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology.
NGO Tackles Period Poverty
Girl Up Sapphire is a subset of Girl Up United Nation Foundation, an organization based in Ibadan with members in Kwara, Ogun, and Osun states The aim of this club is to represent marginalized girls in the Southwest and unite them to change the world through their innovative programs. Although Girl Up sapphire is a relatively new organization of 2 years old, it has reached over 3,000 girls in the southwest. One of the notable initiatives is the “Flow for Free” project which reached girls in some selected schools in Ilorin, Abeokuta and Ibadan reaching.
In an interview, Omotolani Tolulope, the president of the club, mentioned that the “flow for free” project is targeted at addressing period poverty. Despite it success in three states, the project faced significant challenge of funding.
“Flow for free addresses period poverty and we educate about 3500 girls in selected locations on menstrual hygiene and management. We also donated reusable pads to 1,400 girls.”
Ayomikun Orobiyi, the club’s adviser, highlighted that GirlUp United Nation Foundation has many areas of focus but GirlUp Sapphire only focuses on three: STEM for Social good, Gender based violence, and serial reproductive health right and justice. She added that though they are lucky to be a beneficiary of Girl-Up Award a few times, another challenge faced by the club is rejection from schools where projects are to be carried out.
“To get funding is survival of the fittest. It is a competition among 7,850 Girl Up clubs worldwide. While we have won some grants a few times, we need more funding and partnership. Aside from that, some school management deny us permission to implement the projects in their school,” Ayomikun explained.
To promote menstrual hygiene management, Ayomikun enjoined the government to introduce a program that educate both boys and girls on menstrual hygiene, and emulate Scotland’s model of free period products provision.
“The government should integrate comprehensive sexual education in school curricula, educate men to be allies and ensure provision of menstrual products in public places, just like in Scotland,” she said.
Omotolani added that “ government intervention and collaboration with NGOs will help tackle period poverty as more funding means more projects and greater impacts.”
Government Response
When reach for the comment of the Oyo state commissioner of Education, Prof Adelabu, declined and directed the questions to the Ministry’s press officer.
Oluwakemi Omotosho, the press officer to the Ministry told the reporter that there is no sector plan at the moment but plans are being made to prepare a new one for 2025 – 2027.
“Oyo State has a separate education sector plan (SESOP) different from Oyo State Road map to Sustainable Development (2023-2027). However, the last SESOP was for 2019-2021 and the Ministry is planning to prepare a new one (2025-2027) in conjunction with the Malala Fund.”
Regarding the government plan on schools without Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities, she responded that, “The State Government is currently embarking on a wholesome renovation of some selected schools across the State and provision of WASH facilities is part of the deliverables.” However, Mrs Oluwakemi did not respond to the Ministry’s efforts on menstrual hygiene management.