Youth Missionary Society Leads Menstrual Hygiene Sensitisation, Advocacy in Cross River ... Condemns taboos, stereotypes against menstruation

By OGBU KOSY

he Youth Missionary Society of the Bishop Anderson Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Diamond Hill, Calabar, is leading the advocacy and sensitisation on menstrual hygiene in Cross River state. 

In a sanitary pads outreach, tagged "Pad a Girl," held recently at the Calcemco Beach, Esuk, Obutong Community, Calabar, the Youth Missionary Society, apart from donating sanitary pads to 72 girls between 11-18 years old, also led a sensitisation and advocacy campaign for menstrual hygiene.

Speaking at the event, the Secretary of the Youth Missionary Society, Achiane Adams, said the outreach was "in line with our 2023 theme of 'Agape Love' and sub theme 'It's a Love Thing," adding that "we decided to give out sanitary pads to girls at the beach to mark World Menstrual Hygiene Day with the theme "Making Menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030."

She said: "It is unfair to girls and women that menstruation is still seen as a taboo in some parts of the world. Females are subjected to inhuman acts such as sleeping outside the house or digging a hole in the bush and sitting over there; we are told not to do certain things like worshipping or handling some domestic chores because of myths that mislead or misinform."

Adams added that the Youth Missionary Society, a group of young girls age 13-21, has keyed into the annual World Menstrual Hygiene Day, which is observed on 28th May, providing a platform for awareness creation on good menstrual health in order for women to avoid reproductive diseases associated with poor hygiene. 

Speaking further, the Society's Secretary maintained: "It does not matter whether sanitary pads or pieces of cloths are used during menstruation, what matters is how we care for our bodies and the materials used. From washing our hands after pad changes, to disposal of used sanitary pads, and or washing of the pieces of cloths." 

"As young girls that you are, today's interaction is not just for you rather for now. Go back home, and go back to school and teach your family and friends about menstrual hygiene," she charged beneficiaries. 

Restating her Society's determination to the cause, Adams pledged, "We are committed to ending the stigma and shame around menstruation by educating parents, wards and guardians."

She expressed gratitude to the community, especially the Women's Leader, Mrs Eno Udiba for mobilising the girls and others to be part of the outreach, adding that "the Youth Missionary Society looks forward to future engagements that would better the lots of the community and society at large."

Also speaking, the District Secretary, Calabar North District of the A.M.E. Zion Church, Miss Esther Effiong, told the girls that the cultural taboos associated with menstruation should not limit them from going to school, playing sports or engaging in activities in school or at home, reminding them that, just like their male counterparts, they too have the God-given potentials and can aspire to greater heights.

In her admonition, with scripture from the book of John chapter 21 verse 1, the Host Pastor, Bishop Anderson Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Diamond Hill, Calabar, Rev. (Mrs) Uwem Usen, noted that the Youth Missionary Society was on the outreach in accordance with God's injunction to love, hence the sensitisation on menstrual hygiene and donation of sanitary pads to young girls. 

In a vote of thanks, the women's leader, Obutong Community, Mrs. Eno Udiba, thanked the society and A. M. E. Zion Church for their choice of Obutong Community for such laudable intervention. 

She said the outreach was tremendously beneficial to the young girls and grown-ups who participated in the programme, and that the donation of pads would palliate the crunch financial reality in households, as sanitary pads are now sold at exorbitant prices.

The educating and highly interactive outreach climaxed with practical demonstration of how to padding during mensuration by Pastor (Mrs.) Umo Bassey Eno, a retired Cross River Local Government Director of Public Health.