Hey guys! Welcome to another session of #SRHRNuggetsWithVSI Today we will be discussing Menstrual Hygiene in commemoration of the Menstrual Hygiene Day 2020. #ActsOnMenstrualHygiene

This year's theme is It's Time for Action and this theme highlights the collective commitment we must have in removing the stigma around menstruation and increase awareness on proper menstrual Hygiene. #SRHRNuggetsWithVSI

Women and girls all over the world have developed their own personal strategies to handle this period of time. However, access to products that help girls and women manage their menstruation is a huge issue, caused by poverty and inequality. #SRHRNuggetsWithVSI

But what is at play here isn’t just a resource issue: it's the beliefs and attitudes that surround menstruation. In #Nigeria, talking about menstruation publicly is seen as a taboo as it is considered a sacred thing and as such enhances discrimination against women and girls.

So using this hygiene terminology only perpetuates this stigma further and fails to address wider challenges that girls and women face during menstruation.  #SRHRinNigeria #SRHRNuggetsWithVSI

Health refers to your mental and physical condition whereas hygiene refers to maintaining cleanliness and preventing disease. A more holistic narrative around menstruation is needed. It is important we broaden the narrative and work to challenge menstrual stigma. #SRHRNuggets

A recent study by @UNICEF_Nigeria show that in rural Nigeria, menstruation is perceived as ‘dirty and shameful’ with some families maintaining separate living quarters for menstruating women.  #SRHRinNigeria #SRHRNuggetsWithVSI

Similarly, periods are treated with ‘secrecy and shame’ in schools, where for every 1 toilet there are 600 students, and even then the facilities are not adequate.  #SRHRinNigeria #SRHRNuggetsWithVSI