Ekiti First Lady Seeks Subsidy For Sanitary Products

The Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, has urged government to subsidise the cost of sanitary pads to make it affordable for young ladies.

Erelu Fayemi canvassed the position in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday while speaking at the launching of project ‘Pads for Improved Girl-Child Education (P4iGCE)’, an initiative of Balm in Gilead Foundation for Sustainable Development (BIGIF).

She said budgetary provision should be made for reusable pads, adding that government should pay attention to the sexual health and rights of adolescent girls.
Project P4iGCE plans to distribute sanitary pads to 20,000 girls in schools across four states in the Southwest, including Ekiti, Ondo, Oyo and Osun.

Erelu Fayemi who spoke on “Importance of Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) in Bridging Gender Gap in Education”, said it was important to educate girls on environmental pollution and health hazard associated with improper disposal of sanitary pads.

“One of the factors that affect young girls in schools that has hitherto gone unnoticed is described as ‘Period Poverty’ or the lack of capacity for Menstrual Hygiene Management. In rural areas, women do not have access to sanitary products. It is safe to say that one in every three girls in the country cannot afford safe and hygienic-sanitary pads for proper menstrual hygiene management.

“Girls’ capacity to manage their periods is affected by lack of access to affordable, hygienic sanitary material, disposal options for used materials, adequate water supply, clean toilets, hand washing facilities and access to changing rooms”, she added.

The State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Dr Bimpe Aderiye, urged all education stakeholders, civil organisation, and other related bodies to support and provide facilities for the girls’ child education.

She lauded the organisers for the initiative, stressing that the project is a welcome development that will help promote girl-child education and improve hygiene management.
The Executive Director of the organisation, Ms Oluwatunmini Adedeji said the project complements Erelu Fayemi’s ‘Keep Girls in School’ advocacy programme and other related government developmental programmes.

The Regent of Ibule Soro in Ondo State, Princess Moyinoluwa Falowo said communities need to play an active role in developing girl-child, promote equal treatment of children and raise girl-child to believe in opportunities.