Reproductive Health

Period Poverty_MHM

SPEAK WEDNESDAY – PERIOD POVERTY AND POOR EDUCATION

Gender Based Violence, Gender Equality, Girl Education, Health, Menstrual Health and Hygiene, Reproductive Health, Sanitation, Speak Wednesday, Women, Women Education, Women's Rights /

The backdrop in girls’ education due to lack of menstrual hygiene in Nigeria should no longer be gender issue, but of national concern.

The National Democracy and Health Survey in 2013 has shown that girls make up 60 per cent of the 110.5 million out-of-school children in Nigeria, and 1 in 10 African girls misses school due to their period, according to UNICEF. In order words, they could miss school for four days or more during which the period lasts, and since they cannot manage their period safely without a good sanitary product, such children are most likely to drop out of school in the long run. Moreso, the hike in menstrual products has left most Nigerian girls and young women with no choice but to use unclean napkins, tissue, leaves, newspapers, or nothing at all, during their menstruation.

The old African proverb says “educate a girl, educate a nation”. To curb this damaging menace caused by period poverty, the Nigerian government should borrow a Leaf from Kenya’s policy which introduced the right to free, sufficient and quality sanitary towels, and basic sanitation facilities for schoolgirls; treating access to sanitary pads as a basic human right. This and the total removal of tax on menstrual products will help to make the girl child stay in school during their monthly flow.

Like Michelle Obama rightly said, when girls are educated, their countries become stronger and more prosperous. It is time to embrace this fact and work towards creating a world where everyone irrespective of gender can thrive without limitations.

Speak Wednesday is an initiative of CFHI to address issues of gender-based violence and gender bias. Join us every Wednesday on all our social media platforms for more episodes.

#SpeakWednesday #MenstrualRightsAwareness #MenstrualHygiene #MenstrualEquality #GirlsInSchool #EquityAndJustice #MHDay2022 #WeAreCommitted
#reusablesanitarypad

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Men’s Reproductive Health

Men, Men's Health, Reproductive Health /
Reproductive health is an important component of men’s overall health and well-being. Too often, males have been overlooked in discussions of reproductive health, especially when reproductive issues such as contraception and infertility have been perceived as female-related. Every day, men, their partners, and health care providers can protect their reproductive health by ensuring effective contraception, avoiding sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and preserving fertility (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2016). The recognized most common issues of male’s reproductive health are Contraception, avoiding sexually transmitted diseases and Infertility/fertility. One may ask why Men’s Reproductive Health is a matter of concern. According to Cummings (2020), research shows that a man’s health before conception can damage sperm in such a way that it affects his offsprings’ health. This may include behaviours such as alcohol and drug use, smoking and lifestyle choices, medications or his exposure to chemicals at home, work, and in the environment. There is increasing evidence that damaged sperm can affect pregnancy outcomes, from miscarriage and birth weight to birth defects and childhood illnesses. There is a growing body of study which is focused on damage in spermatozoa and the effects of ageing on male reproductive health. According to Selvaratnam and Robaire (2019) Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-damaged sperm is the cause of conditions ranging from spontaneous abortion to congenital malformations and genetic defects in children. it is important to pay more attention to men’s reproductive health because it has the potential to improve men’s lives and the lives of their children (Cummings, 2020).  Men can boost their reproductive health by having a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a balanced diet. This may include among others exercising regularly, getting enough vitamin C & D, relaxing and minimizing stress, getting enough zinc, quitting smoking and excessive drinking etc. Society can foster an environment where men pay better attention to their health by raising awareness towards acknowledging first that men have certain reproductive health needs and secondly that these needs need to be catered to. Also, Federal health agencies and professional medical associations can develop Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials to educate the public about men’s health and how it can potentially affect their children’s health.   Truly as stated by Cummings, paying more attention to men’s reproductive health has the potential to improve life for this generation and for generations to come.

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