Justice, Development, and Peace Commission (JDPC), a social arm of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has distributed 1,000 packs of reusable sanitary pads to women and girls in Gwagwalada community.
The Executive Director of JDPC, Rev. Fr. Solomon Uko said the initiative is in continuation of a previous project aimed at promoting hygiene and healthy living in local communities.
Uko at the event in Dagiri community, Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), emphasised the importance of the collaboration in fostering community development.
“We appreciate God for this great intervention and thank JDPC and UNFPA for this initiative.
“Women play a vital role in society’s development, and it’s crucial they use these items properly to take care of their health,” the priest said.
The partnership, according to him, reflected the Catholic Church’s ongoing commitment to social interventions and support for women’s health and education in Abuja.
He urged beneficiaries to utilise the pads effectively and adhere to the health instructions provided.
The representative of UNFPA, Jachi Ojukwu, emphasised the importance of maintaining healthy hygiene practices amidst the economic challenges in the country.
“The reason why we are here is to ensure our women and girls always maintain healthy hygiene.
“Providing reusable menstrual products is a crucial step, especially given the economic situation the country is facing now.
“It is worthy to note that to enhance menstrual hygiene and support women’s health, the UNFPA donated reusable menstrual pads to the women and girls of the Daghiri community.
“This is our little way to support these women to maintain a healthy lifestyle,” she said.
Ojukwu highlighted the need to uphold the dignity and health of women, pointing out the unhygienic and undignified practice of using clothes as menstrual pads.
“The danger of using clothes is after marriage, such women will face fertility problems because of infection that was not treated as a result of using clothes for monthly flow.
“We want to see beneficiaries live healthily and uphold their dignity. Access to reusable menstrual products promotes a healthy lifestyle and well-being,” she added.
The Executive Director, Beyond Development for Africa’s Youth Advancement (BDAYA),
Yager Benjamin, stressed the importance of providing a healthy and safe environment for menstrual hygiene amidst economic challenges.
As a partner in the initiative, Benjamin revealed that the initiative originally targeted 600 beneficiaries but was expanded to reach 1,000 due to the overwhelming need and commitment to the community.
“This significant achievement is a testament to the dedication of UNFPA Nigeria and JDPC in supporting Nigerian communities.
“This effort is aimed at promoting menstrual health and dignity for women and girls and ensuring they have access to safe and affordable menstrual products,” he explained.
On his part, the Director of Programmes at JDPC, Mr Timothy Ejeh said that with the collaboration of the UNFPA and the Christian Blind Mission (CBM), over 300 women and girls have benefited from the initiative.
He expressed gratitude for the support received and called for more support to reach out to more communities with the intervention.
“We are most grateful to the Christian Blind Mission (CBM). Initially, we provided menstrual hygiene cards to over 300 women and girls here. Today, we continue our commitment by bringing more support to those who were not attended to previously.”
Ejeh also thanked UNFPA and YPC for their collaboration, which has been crucial in reaching more women and girls in the community.
“This support allows us to fulfil our commitment to improving menstrual hygiene and overall well-being for our women and girls,” he added.
Speaking on the theme, Menstrual Hygiene Management, Ms Felicity Nneoma, YPP, FCT, and UNFPA Coordinator, said that the reusable pads if properly maintained could be used for three to four months.
She further explained that after each usage, the pad should be put inside water, preferably hot water, that contains disinfectants and detergents in order to wash out the blood and dry it under the sun.
Newsspec.ng reports that the initiative, in partnership with JDPC of the Abuja Catholic Archdiocese, underscores the ongoing commitment to improving women’s health and hygiene in the community.
Newsspec.ng also reports that kits distributed include reusable sanitary pads, soap, underwears, and other essential items to ensure that women and girls manage their menstrual health with dignity.
This initiative is particularly significant as it addresses the needs of those who are often marginalised and face barriers in accessing menstrual hygiene products.
