Recently, the Nasarawa State House of Assembly concluded a public hearing on a bill requiring the state government to provide free menstrual-hygiene products for girls in public schools.
This is undoubtedly a phenomenal move in the drive to enhance girls' education in the state.
According to the United Nations International Children's Education Fund (UNICEF), Nigeria accounts for 15 per cent of the global out-of-school children population, with about 7.6 million girls out of school.
Specifically, UNICEF gave a breakdown of these appalling statistics as comprising 3.9 million in primary school and 3.7 million in junior secondary school.
Of course, different factors, including poverty, child marriage, gender discrimination, and cultural beliefs, are responsible for the high number of girls out of school. One key factor - but often not mentioned - is the fact that most girls stay away from school during menstruation.
Mindful that menstrual hygiene is a right of every girl child and conscious of the need to ensure safe learning spaces for girls, Nasarawa state lawmakers began deliberations on a bill requiring the state government to provide free menstrual-hygiene products for girls.
Interestingly, the bill was sponsored by Hajara Danyaro, the only female member of the male-dominated Nasarawa State House of Assembly and the first female to be elected State Assembly Member in the state's history.
Fundamentally, Danyaro's bill, when passed by the House of Assembly and signed into law by the governor, will address the issue of stigmatisation of female students during menstruation. It will, importantly, ensure the availability of menstrual-hygiene products in public schools across the state and avoid the distraction of female students during menstruation.
The lawmakers have expedited action on the bill, which has passed through all the necessary legislative processes and is awaiting its presentation on the floor of the Assembly for final reading and passage. We urge them to expedite the process for the government's assent.
Currently, there are no fewer than fifty-four thousand girls across public schools in Nasarawa state, some of whom are forced to stay away from school during menstruation. This new law will support them.Girls who menstruate need adequate and free supplies.
However, poverty has made it practically impossible for many of them to have access to this essential when their period cycle comes knocking.
Different countries have implemented measures to assist this class of people. For instance, Canada makes it mandatory for all washrooms in federally regulated workplaces to have period supplies. Students in all public schools in Manitoba get free period supplies.
Research shows that menstruation, especially among girls of school-going age, shapes lives in negative ways and diminishes opportunities for some of them. It is, therefore, necessary to put a system in place that will guarantee that all people who menstruate are provided with the resources and infrastructure to do so safely and with dignity.
No doubt, when passed into law, Nasarawa's menstrual hygiene bill will be phenomenal and contribute immensely to boosting girl-child education as it will drastically reduce the significant number of girls who stay away from school during menstruation.
To ensure the law succeeds when eventually passed, the government must implement concrete measures, including severe punishment, to disincentivize those who wish to divert the products or engage in corrupt practices.
We urge other state governments to enact menstrual hygiene laws and ensure the provision of menstrual products in schools, especially in areas where the enrolment, retention and completion of girls is abysmally low.
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However, beyond making the products available and accessible to school-going girls, the Nasarawa State government must do all it takes to galvanise the support of stakeholders, mobilise resources for the programme's success, and ensure the high standards and quality of the products.
Importantly, the government must address other challenges that have continued to impede the effective development of education, including the provision of infrastructure, recruitment of qualified teachers, and, most importantly, ensuring the availability of learning/teaching materials.
Consequently, the lawmakers of Nasarawa must seize this opportunity to create lasting change, and in doing so, give their daughters the chance to shape a brighter future.
