Fighting Menstrual Stigma

Empowering Vulnerable Young Girls Through Menstrual Health Awareness in the Internally Displaced (IDP) camp of Wassa, Abuja, Nigeria

Menstrual hygiene management: a taboo in some communities

According to the World Bank, on every given day around 300 million women are menstruating, and approximately 500 million people do not have access to menstrual products or suitable facilities for menstrual hygiene management.

Menstruation is still a sensitive topic in many cultures, particularly in Africa - adolescent girls and women are commonly stigmatized as unclean, cursed, or diseased during their menstrual periods, leading to shame, marginalization, and exclusion from religious or cultural duties (1). This situation exacerbates the difficulties associated with menstrual hygiene management for young girls, particularly during humanitarian crises such as those faced by the girls in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Wassa, Abuja, Nigeria.

As of 2021, over 235 million people were experiencing humanitarian emergencies. In the previous decade, conflict and violence have resulted in over 50 million new and current IDPs, with Africa hosting a significant proportion of these individuals - approximately 3 million IDPs reside in Northern Nigeria (2).

A glimpse into the Wassa IDP camp, Abuja, Nigeria

The IDP camp in Wassa, Abuja, provides temporary shelter for individuals and families who have been forced to evacuate their homes due to various conflicts, natural disasters, or other emergencies. The camp is home to IDPs from Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe, with a population of over 5,000, approximately 70% of whom are women and children (3).

The camp is home to a varied population, including women, children, and the elderly, who frequently arrive with few resources, and who encounter multiple barriers to getting basic requirements like food, housing, healthcare, and education. Residents of the IDP camp frequently suffer with hygiene, sanitation, and healthcare issues, with women and children facing special challenges in managing menstrual hygiene due to restricted availability to sanitary products, clean water, and private sanitation facilities.

Wassa camp, like many other IDP camps in Nigeria, depends on humanitarian relief organizations, government assistance, and local support to provide vital services to support refugees. Some of the prominent international NGOs include Pathfinder International, National Emergency Management Agency, TY Danjuma Foundation, Society for Family Health, and Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria.

Understanding menstrual hygiene in Wassa IDP Camp, Abuja: what challenges do young girls face?

Adolescent girls and women in the IDP Wassa refugee camp struggle to manage their menstrual cycles discretely and with dignity. The lack of adequate access to menstrual materials, menstruation education, and gender-sensitive water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities are among the issues faced by this vulnerable group. Reports provided by the young girls of this camp show that most of them used unsanitary menstrual materials during their periods.

This limited availability of menstrual hygiene management materials lead to daily issues such as damaged clothing, smells, school absenteeism, and decreased interest in household chores. In addition to this, menstrual stains on clothing can lead to embarrassment and bullying, while limited access to female-friendly WASH facilities increases the risk of shame for girls and women in this camp. The humanitarian sector aims to improve reproductive health outcomes, including menstrual hygiene management, for victims of crises, particularly in IDP camps in Northern Nigeria

Enhancing the well-being of internally displaced young girls in the Wassa Camp: the menstrual hygiene awareness project by SPARK OF CHANGE initiative

The SPARK OF CHANGE Initiative is making great progress toward improving the well-being of internally displaced young girls at the Wassa Camp in Abuja. Their most recent project, which focuses on the often-overlooked issue of menstrual hygiene, aims to educate and support adolescent girls in effectively managing their monthly health. This is specifically developed for females aged 12 to 18, and it disproves preconceptions about menstruation while emphasizing the need of accepting this as a natural process. The distribution of reusable sanitary pads and basic hygiene supplies was fundamental to the campaign, giving both practical and instructional assistance.

The campaign has three goals: to raise awareness, give education, and provide critical products. These workshops focused on many aspects of menstrual health and cleanliness, while the distribution of reusable sanitary pads met practical demands. Engaging in discussions with the girls helps to identify concerns and to provide aid, to ensure coordination with local health organizations offering comprehensive support.

Perspectives on SPARK OF CHANGE's menstrual hygiene awareness project at Wassa IDP Camp

Lydia, a 16 years old young girl living in the Wassa IDP camp, shares her story: she recalls her challenges with menstrual cycle management prior to the SPARK OF CHANGE campaign. 'I used to feel humiliated and embarrassed every month,' she admits. ‘‘I learnt how to use the reusable pads and how to take care of my body as a girl’’, and she promised to teach other fellow girls like her who also lack basic menstrual hygiene knowledge.

Eteki Doris, a passionate Cameroonian activist on issues related to gender and the founder of the Spark of Change initiative, is keen to shed light on the driving force behind her project and the long-term impact it seeks to achieve for its participants.

Her endeavor began with an awakening observation of the environment she was in: the absence or unavailability of sanitary pads within the Wassa village, which she also suffered from. This obvious imbalance encouraged her to investigate deeper into the situations faced by young girls and women in the community. She discovered a disturbing reality: insufficient personal hygiene practices among these groups, fear among women, taboo related issues. These observations motivated her to consider the underlying reasons and implications of vulnerable women living in such tough conditions.

After an in-depth assessment of her surroundings and group discussion with the impacted groups, Eteki Doris decided to take action. She launched a project centered on menstrual hygiene and health, with the goal of addressing the significant need for knowledge and access to menstrual hygiene products among poor women in Wassa. Her project aims to bring not just immediate assistance, but also long-term empowerment and resilience for women. By empowering them and advocating positive hygiene practices, she hopes to provide these women with the tools and confidence they need to manage their daily lives with dignity and increased well-being, especially during post humanitarian contexts.

Bibliography

1. World Bank. (2022). Menstrual Health and Hygiene. World Bank. https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/water/brief/menstrual-health-and-hygiene

2. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). (2021). Global Humanitarian Overview. Available at: https://humanitarianaction.info/

3. Reflections from a Journey to Wassa IDP Camp: Can we all do more? - Nigeria Health Watch https://articles.nigeriahealthwatch.com/reflections-from-a-journey-to-wassa-idp-camp-can-we-all-do-more/