Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Plateau State chapter, has called for collective action to end the stigma surrounding menstruation, warning that silence and misinformation continue to deny many girls confidence, education and good health.
Chairperson of the association, Mrs Grace Gotip, made the call on Thursday in Jos during a menstrual hygiene training organised for adolescent girls to mark one year of the current NAWOJ executive.
Gotip said menstruation should never be treated as a source of shame, stressing that access to menstrual health education and accurate information was critical to empowering girls and promoting gender equality.
She said the training was designed to break the silence surrounding menstruation and encourage girls to openly seek information and support rather than suffer in silence.
“Today, we break that silence. This training is not just about pads, products or hygiene routines. It is about knowledge, rights, self-esteem and empowerment. It is about ensuring that no girl misses school because of her period,” she said.
According to her, NAWOJ will continue to promote menstrual health education, advocate for safe and accessible menstrual products, challenge harmful myths, amplify the voices of girls and women and encourage media coverage that advances gender equality.
She described menstrual hygiene as not only a women’s issue but also a public health, human rights and development issue, urging stakeholders to educate communities, support girls, advocate better policies and create safe spaces for conversations on menstruation.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Plateau State Council, Comrade Ayuku Pwaspo, commended the state NAWOJ chapter for sustaining advocacy on issues affecting women and girls.
She said the association had consistently championed gender equality, opposed human rights violations and encouraged greater participation of women in politics and governance, while urging participants to make good use of the knowledge gained during the training.
Facilitating the training, Programme Manager of the Women and Girl Child Rescue Development Initiative, Longret Laurentia, alongside Jemima, educated participants on proper menstrual hygiene management, encouraged them to monitor their menstrual cycles and advised them to seek help whenever they experienced menstrual health challenges.
Sanitary pads were also distributed to participants.
