Nguvu Changeleaders Margaret Aladeselu and Mary Aliyu demand the removal of high taxes on menstrual products
The unmet demand for menstrual hygiene products continues to undermine the dignity and menstrual health of women and girls in Nigeria. Mismanaged menstrual hygiene can cause reproductive tract infections (RTIs), and gynaecological problems and hinder the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals connected to health, education, economic and gender equality. A paper by the Social Science Research Network states that period poverty in Nigeria affects over 37 million girls and women. Exacerbating this crisis is the rising cost of sanitary products which puts them out of the reach of a large population segment.
On Africa’s Women’s Day (31st July) a campaign led by Nguvu Changeleaders Margaret Aladeselu and Mary Aliyu made a valiant effort to raise awareness about period poverty and advocate for removing taxes on menstrual products. They organised a visual protest with evocative placards to highlight the alternatives women are forced to rely on including jute bags, cloth, or sometimes nothing, due to the unaffordability of menstrual hygiene products. Participants in the campaign were drawn from various backgrounds and had the option to cover their faces for the sake of anonymity. Personal stories of women struggling with acute period poverty were encouraged to provide a deeper understanding of their lived experiences.
Mary Aliyu who has been a tireless advocate for menstrual health and hygiene in underprivileged communities as the Abuja Chapter Coordinator for the ‘Caring for Girls with Period’ initiative says, “This visual campaign and all the work I do has been aimed at generating awareness about the rampant period poverty across Nigeria. The basic right to menstrual health, hygiene, good education and dignity should be within the reach of every adolescent girl and woman.”
Mary’s work has directly impacted over 400 girls, educating them on menstrual hygiene and providing essential supplies. She believes that broader community engagement and support for menstrual health initiatives is the need of the hour. Her petition also draws attention to the high price of pads in Nigeria because girls are forced to miss school. It appeals to the Ministry of Health in conjunction with the Ministry of Education in Nigeria to make sanitary pads available for free in schools and hospitals for young girls.
Mary concludes, “It is important to understand that period poverty is not just about the absence of hygiene products. It is the direct result of undermining the needs of women, and the normalisation of gender inequality. Yes, women need sanitary pads but they also need respect and equality. I hope this visual campaign has visibility into the struggles of millions of underserved Nigerian women. “