Report by KHADIJAH ALIYU; Editing by BASIRAT MEMUDU
In commemoration of World Menstrual Hygiene Day, over 400 adolescent and out-of-school girls in Kano have been sensitized on menstrual hygiene management.
Organized by the Kano State Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Women Affairs, the event took place at Government Girls Arabic Secondary School Gwammaja.
The program aimed to increase awareness of menstrual health hygiene among adolescent girls and promote access to affordable menstrual products, especially through the empowerment of women entrepreneurs.
Speaking at the sensitization, the State Coordinator for Girls’ Education at the Ministry of Education, Amina Kassim, highlighted that the initiative is designed to educate young girls on how to manage their menstrual health effectively.
She noted that the programme addresses key barriers such as limited awareness and restricted access to menstrual hygiene products.
The coordinator also emphasized the state government’s commitment, alongside relevant MDAs, to continue enlightening young women on the significance of proper menstrual hygiene.
Also addressing the participants, the Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Focal Person from the State Primary Health Care Management Board KSPHCMB, Zahra’u Ibrahim noted that World Menstrual Hygiene Day is an opportunity to stress the importance of menstrual health to the overall well-being of girls and women.
“Many people still consider menstruation a taboo subject, this lack of open conversation often prevents girls from attending school due to inadequate knowledge and poor hygiene facilities,” she said.
Zahra’u appealed to the government to ensure wider availability of sanitary products and to improve toilet facilities in schools, enabling girls to experience a more comfortable and dignified menstrual period.
On her part, Founder of an NGO, Dina Youth Foundation, Lubabatu Abdulkadir, disclosed that the Kano State Government is distributing free sanitary pads, soap, and detergent to adolescent girls across all 44 local government areas through her foundation.
As part of the programme, menstrual hygiene products were distributed to 400 schoolgirls and 30 out-of-school girls.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Maryam Ishaq Muhammad expressed gratitude to the organizers:
“This programme will go a long way in providing us with the knowledge we need to take proper care of ourselves during our menstrual periods.”
World Menstrual Hygiene Day, observed annually on May 28, seeks to break taboos, raise awareness, and highlight the critical role good menstrual hygiene plays in the health and education of girls worldwide.
