The deprivation of rights of women in various ways has often gone unnoticed and sometimes trivialised in many parts of the world. Women often suffer forced marriages, genital mutilation, gender discrimination, domestic violence, rape and many such rights violation.

One of such deprivations is menstrual or period poverty, the impacts of which may go unnoticed in a male dominated world. However, studies have shown that it is a traumatic and psychologically demeaning experience especially among African women and girls.

Period poverty refers to the lack of access to correct menstrual products, education, and hygiene facilities, making it difficult for individuals to manage their period circle with dignity. It affects women and girls who menstruate, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, marginalised communities, and developing countries such as Nigeria.

Financial contstraint

According to a World Bank report, a staggering 500 million women and girls globally are unable to manage their menstrual hygiene due to inadequate facilities.

This crisis has severe consequences, including school absenteeism, which may lead to economic hardships, and diminished opportunities for girls. In Nigeria, UNICEF reports that 10.5 million children are out of school, with 60% being girls.

Many of these girls miss school due to lack of access to menstrual hygiene products, resulting in lost learning opportunities and economic potential.

Former Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, revealed that 37 million women and girls in Nigeria lack access to menstrual hygiene products due to financial constraints.

This shortage affects the girl-child education, as many girls of school age are forced to stay home during their periods, missing crucial learning days. The high cost of menstrual hygiene products exacerbates this issue, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and limiting opportunities for women and girls.

Nguvu collective

It is in this light that Nguvu Collective, an International women rights organisation working in Nigeria, Kenya and other African countries held a virtual campaign/advocacy programme on July 31st, 2024 on the African Women’s Day on Period Poverty to create awareness on this important subject.

The campaign was jointly led by two Nguvu Change leaders; Margaret Aladeselu and Mary Aliya. According to Aladeselu, one of the women rights activists, who chaired the virtual campaign, period poverty is often caused by poverty.

It is a limited access to sanitary products such as pads, tampons, and inadequate menstrual hygiene facilities such as clean water, and toilets. This often leads to stigma and shame concerning the subject of menstruation among women and girls.

Many women and girls continue to experience period poverty, meaning that they are unable to access or afford menstrual products like pads and tampons, but also pain medication and underwear.

It’s a situation that remains largely unaddressed within the society, even as the escalating costs of sanitary pads over the past few years have made the problem worse, putting an essential product out of reach for a large population of Nigerian women and girls especially in the rural areas.

In an Interview with the New Telegraph, Aladeselu said, Nigerian women are not fine with using clothes and rags during their menstrual periods. This is as she noted, ‘’That is not the sanitary way to take care of yourself during your period.

‘‘They do have health implications that could cause different kinds of infections. That’s why it’s important for every woman to have access to clean sanitary products that are necessary for periods.

That’s why the government should also take action,” According to a number of reports, a study among adolescent school girls in Cross River State showed that secondary school students in both urban and rural areas demonstrated increased school absenteeism during their menstrual periods for several reasons.

Some said that the unavailability of sanitary towels was to blame, while others said that the socio-economic status of their mothers had a huge impact on the ability of these young girls to access hygienic menstrual products.

For others, the perception of menstruation as a disease associated with feelings of discomfort and tiredness helped to propagate this attitude. In the end, the combination of all these factors are said to have a serious negative impacts on their feelings of well-being and participation in academic and extracurricular activities.

Aladeselu, who described herself as a passionate advocate for the eradication of period poverty in Nigeria wants the federal and state governments to remove import duties and taxes on period products to enable hundreds of poor and rural women and girls to have easy access to them.

Period Padi

She disclosed, “I run an NGO called Period Padi to try to eradicate period poverty in Nigeria. I’m very passionate about women’s rights in general. I think that was inspired by my upbringing, and I intend to do that on a more global level.

“Period poverty is something that almost every woman in Nigeria has definitely experienced. I know women in my life that have been affected by it, but my campaign was mostly inspired by my cousin who suffered from period poverty at a particular time in her life, and it was not a good experience that was what really pushed me to want to take action.”

The activist in partnership with Nguvu Collective has petitioned the federal government of Nigeria on the imperative of removing taxes and import duties on sanitary pads and menstrual products so that Nigerian women and girls can have easy access to them in order to effectively tackle period poverty in Nigeria.

Aladeselu’s fervent dedication to ending period poverty and providing access to sanitary menstrual products for girls from low-income families has led her to partner with Nguvu Change in order to attract global attention on the subject, with support from Nguvu Change.

Her petition to the federal government of Nigeria through Change.org on the subject of period poverty aims to draw attention to the problem of period poverty. The petition has received support from influential figures like Malala Yousafzai, accumulating over 6,000 signatures.

Aladeselu’s commitment to championing positive change on women-centric issues is evident through her well-received articles published on esteemed blogs such as Zikoko, Assembly, and The Moveee.

Aladeselu said, “Nguvu Collective or Nguvu Change is an organisation that also specialises in empowerment women, fighting for women’s rights as well, and I am connected to them.

I think in 2020 I got into a leadership programme that they were facilitating, and since then, we’ve been working together. ‘‘In this particular campaign, they’ve been facilitating digital activism on the subject of period poverty and we’ve also had discussions on policy making.”

According to her, the virtual campaign advocacy has the capacity to reach more people than a physical one. “The world is very connected through the internet; you can reach anybody from any part of the world.

So you can also reach policy leaders faster, because they are spending time on social media as well,” she noted. Adding, “Our campaign is centred on eradicating Period Poverty in Nigeria, so our actions are Nigeria-based.”

Caring for girls

Another activist working on period poverty is Mary Aliya, who is a dedicated advocate for menstrual health and hygiene in underprivileged communities. As the Abuja Chapter Coordinator for the Caring for Girls with Period Initiative and an Nguvu Change Leader, Mary is committed to ensuring that all girls and women have access to the necessary resources to thrive.

Her vision is a world where menstrual health is no longer a barrier to education, health, or dignity. Aliya has been instrumental in raising awareness and providing support to four schools in the suburbs of Abuja, namely; Nyanya, Mpape, Karu, and the IDP camp in Durumi.

Through her tireless advocacy efforts, she has reached over 400 girls, educating them on menstrual hygiene and providing essential supplies. Aliya’s campaign to end period poverty has not only improved the lives of these girls but has also sparked broader community engagement and support for menstrual health initiatives.

Her work continues to inspire and drive change, making a tangible difference in the lives of many.

The virtual campaign and advocacy was jointly led by Aladeselu and Aliya, who are both two Nguvu Change leaders. They had also partnered with an organisation called Caring for Girls with Period Initiative, to make this campaign a success.

During the campaign, Aliya said, “Period poverty is a constant reminder of the burden associated with the woman’s body. It is not a personal problem, but a societal failing. We need to talk about it, we need to fix it.”

While Aladeselu noted, “Period poverty is not just a women’s problem, it is a human issue. It is important that men should get involved to fight against it. Just as we rally together to combat hunger, we must also unite to eradicate period poverty.”

The two Nguvu Change leaders from Nguvu Collective were emphatic on the need to make sanitary pads free in Nigerian secondary school. According Rachel D’souza from Nguvu Collective, the vision of the organisation is to create a world where more women are in positions of social power and leadership, driving systemic change for their communities and countries through the strength of their collectives.

The non-governmental organisation has women leaders called Nguvu Change leaders in various capacities in Nigeria.

On marginalised Women

On their website, the group Priorities the Marginalised women in Africa. Our work is in service of communities that are marginalised. We are building our team and practices so that everyone who works with us feels valued, respected and impactful,’’ disclosed D’souza.

She added, ‘‘we believe that social change emerges through collective effort. We build trust by sharing decisions and learnings openly; and by taking responsibility for our actions.”

New Telegraph interviewed a Lagos business woman, Mrs Chidinma Igbokwe, who stressed that everywoman at some point experienced period poverty unless the woman comes from a well off family.

According to her, “Women use different types of unhygienic, and unsafe materials during their menstrual periods. Some use cotton wool, that’s the most traumatising for me when I heard it.

‘‘They said they will put it inside the vagina, I said what! That’s crazy. What if the cotton wool cannot come out again? I also know that some people use clothes because they cannot afford monthly menstrual pads.

‘‘So, I support the removal of import duties, and taxes on pads. I also support the free distribution of menstrual pads to girls in secondary schools all over the country. Government or some NGOs should see to these things to keep our people healthy and safe.’’

Mrs Modupe Ijidina, who is from Benin Republic, also spoke with the New Telegraph, noted that many women believe that cotton wool is cheaper. Some women flow a lot. One pad is not even enough for some women in a day. The way some people flow, they use up to two pads a day.

Some women use cloths and they rewash it and spread it in the sun so that it can be reused. I use cloths because of the regular expenses on pads. So I use clothes during my menstrual flow.

Government ought to do some things about it so that more women can access menstrual pads especially school children and poor women. For example, I am a single mother of two beautiful girls.

“I have to pay school fees and other expenses single handedly and I believe that many women are in my shoes too. I agree that government should remove taxes and import duties on menstrual pads so that many women can afford it.”

While Mrs Funmilayo Ogundipe, a petty trader in Lagos, said, “Period poverty is real and many women use clothes, tissue paper, foam and cotton wool because they cannot afford reusable, factory made sanitary pads. I use clothes.

‘‘You cannot blame anyone because women are still looking for money to eat, and to feed their children, you are asking them to use sanitary pads during their menstruation. ‘‘No, they cannot afford it, especially women that usually experience heavy flow.

Everyone finds a way around it.” When asked whether government should remove taxes, and import duties on sanitary pads, she said, ‘‘that would be great. It should be distributed free to poor women and widows.”

Dr Yinka Goodman, a Gynecologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, said, “we cannot say that what some women are using are bad because that was what our grandmothers were using but the whole world has ended that and life is becoming easier.

‘‘Why not take the easier and more hygienic path instead of the old way? The implications we may have if people are using clothes during their menstrual periods is that, there is always blood in the clothes and blood is a good environment for microorganisms to breed in.

‘‘So, it is possible to have microorganisms breeding in those clothes, especially when those women are not changing the clothes often. The other part is that the woman is going to reuse it many times.

‘‘You know, if it is the already repackaged sanitary pad, she is going to throw it away. She is not going to wear it again. She will just dispose it. But those who use clothes may not even wash them well, that is where the danger is.”

Goodman emphasised that personal hygiene is very important during menstrual flow. She advised women to always keep their vaginal clean as well as whatever they are using as menstrual wear, towel or pads.

She, however insisted that sanitary pads that comes from the pharmacist is the best one to use during menstrual flow. Stressing, “For people that used clothes, well, if that is all they have because of the high prices of sanitary pads, let them iron the clothes.

‘‘They have to wash them well. Then you should spread the clothes to dry where there is adequate sun so that the sun can kill any organism that may be hidden there, so you do not provide room for organisms to breed.

‘‘No matter what you do you cannot completely wipe them away, the organisms can ascend through the women’s vagina to other parts of the body and cause illness.” She said, “For those using cotton wool, I will advise them to use factory made sanitary pads because there is cotton wool in the factory pad but they are bound together by other materials.

So when women use cotton wool alone during their menstrual flow, the implication is that the wool do break and pieces of it can enter into the vagina. ‘‘So, when you have pieces of it in the vagina, with blood in them and there are organisms there.

You can have organisms breeding inside. These are the major implications, so when women use the disposable ones, it makes life easier for everybody. ‘‘It’s the same with the people using napkins. If I can use the disposable pads why should I go back to the old ways? It is even laborious to use clothes. You cannot just have one. ‘‘You have to have about 12 clothes.

However, the fact that society has evolved to using modern means does not mean that everyone will follow us. There are many women who cannot afford the costs largely because of poverty.

‘‘My advice is whatever a woman is using, let her not keep it on for so long, that is also very important. Let her keep it clean. Cleanliness in all thing is the way to avoid sickness.’’

Speaking on the need for government’s interventions in these things, she noted, ‘‘it will be a welcome development but you know, unless they consider it important, we cannot force them.

“But if the government can remove import duties and taxes on reusable factory made menstrual pads, it will protect women’s health and wellness that will be commendable.”

Associated diseases

Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) initiative, which aims to promote menstrual hygiene management practices that are safe and healthy for women and girls, noted among others that.

The use of improper sanitary pads can pose significant health risks to women, including: Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS): Linked to the use of super absorbent tampons, TSS, which can be fatal if left untreated.

It can also lead to Yeast Infections: Moisture trapped by pads can cause yeast infections, leading to itching, burning, and discharge. Another potential health risk of improper sanitary pads is Bacterial Vaginosis (BV): Improper pads can disrupt vaginal pH, leading to BV, which increases the risk of STIs and pregnancy complications.

New Telegraph investigations confirmed that improper sanitary wear can also lead to Cervical Cancer. Prolonged use of soiled pads may increase the risk of cervical cancer due to bacterial and viral exposure, including Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs): Bacteria from soiled pads can enter the urethra, causing UTIs.

It can also lead to Skin Irritation and allergic reactions. This is because the chemicals and dyes in some pads can cause skin irritation, rashes, and allergic reactions. It can lead to bad odour and infection.

Improperly changed pads can lead to odour and infection, causing discomfort and embarrassment. It can lead to reproductive health issues in women. Prolonged exposure to bacteria and toxins from improper pads may affect reproductive health.

Preventive measures

Goodman emphasised that in order to mitigate these risks, it is essential for women to use sanitary pads made from breathable, natural materials It is also require for women to change pads every four – eight hours. Women must also wash their hands before handling pads and avoid using pads with fragrances or dyes.

They must practice good hygiene during menstruation and after menstruation. Proper menstrual hygiene management is crucial for women’s health and well-being.