By Fatima Zahra Muhammad
ASHENEWS reports that stakeholders in women-led organizations in Niger state have advocated for free distribution of sanitary pads to girls in the state.
The stakeholders stated this during the second edition of the Aisha Wakaso Pad-up Symposium held in Minna on Tuesday.
The annual event, which brought together students from the school for special education in Minna also had in attendance women with disabilities.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the program, a girchild advocate and CEO of a nongovernmental organization, Succeeding against all odds, Dr. Valda Martins said that the government needs to come up with legislation that would allow for increased access to sanitary pads for young girls.
“These girls grow up to become women. A pack of pads for every girl in school can go a long way,” she said.
Martins had earlier delivered a lecture on menstrual hygiene and its importance.
Also, the Special Adviser to the Niger state governor on Women and Affirmative Action, Mary Noel Berje decried inattention to the needs of girls by the society.
“I don’t know how we got to this stage in the first place. Someone had to think of providing pads for girls.
“We keep talking about this with governor’s wives, and ministers and nobody is doing anything to get to the root of the matter to proffer solutions,” she lamented.
Berje, who suggested that a round table be convened to find sustainable solutions to the issue assured that the state government was ready to come up with a policy or a support system that will address period poverty.
“If the federal government was providing toiletries in the past, it can do the same again. Pads are a common need for every girl child.
“If the government can’t do it, there are privileged individuals who can. Women can also come up with a system that will deal with this issue,” she said.
On her part, the organizer of the program and Special Adviser to the Niger state governor on Print Media, Aisha Wakaso said that the initiative was prompted by the increase in the cost of sanitary pads in the country.
“I just know that there are people out there who have not been able to feed as families not to talk about providing sanitary towels to children.
“The government and the people with the resources know what to do but we will keep calling on them. If they can’t go out and do it, some people have the idea. They can as well support them.”
This online platform reports that Wakaso distributed free sanitary pads to the students in a bid to reduce period poverty among young girls.
