Daud Olatunji
In commemoration of the 2024 Menstrual Hygiene Day, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Girls Guild, convened a sensitisation forum aimed at empowering young girls with critical information on menstrual hygiene and the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine.
The event, held in Lagos, drew scores of adolescent girls from various schools under the auspices of the Girls Guild—an association of young female changemakers championing the cause of girl-child health and empowerment in their schools and communities.
Speaking at the event, Mrs. Aderonke Akinola-Akinwole, Social and Behaviour Change Specialist at UNICEF, said the programme was designed not only to mark the global awareness day on menstrual hygiene but also to leverage the opportunity to drive advocacy and uptake of the HPV vaccine.
“We are using this platform to call out older girls as change champions, equipping them with the resources to lead conversations among their peers and create a social movement for a generation free from cervical cancer,” she said.
Akinola-Akinwole noted that while Nigeria introduced the HPV vaccine last year, the campaign phase had ended, and the vaccine was now part of the routine immunisation programme.
This, she said, calls for increased demand and peer-to-peer advocacy, especially among girls aged nine and above.
Emphasising the need for broader collaboration, she urged stakeholders—from the private sector to religious and community leaders—to unite in eliminating period poverty, promoting menstrual dignity, and making sanitary products widely available.
“Menstrual health should be used as an avenue to reach girls and protect their dignity. Every girl should have access to sanitary towels. They should be proud of who they are and celebrate their periods as part of their identity as women,” she said.
Also speaking, Mrs. Honfor Grace Adesola, Director of Health Education, Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, lauded the initiative, stressing the continued availability of the HPV vaccine at all primary health centres across the state.
“When I asked how many girls had taken the vaccine, it was alarming that many hadn’t. We must remind parents that the vaccine is free, safe, and available,” she said.
According to her, while the current emphasis is on girls due to their susceptibility to cervical cancer, boys are not exempt from carrying the HPV virus and may also be considered for vaccination in the near future.
“Even though boys don’t have a cervix, they are often carriers of the virus. Other countries have started vaccinating boys from age nine, and it is a direction Nigeria may consider in the future.”
She further called for stronger parental involvement and the integration of menstrual hygiene education into school curriculums, religious teachings, and community engagement efforts.
… Students Demand More Awareness, Free Sanitary Products
The girls who participated in the event expressed gratitude for the awareness programme, with many calling for continued education and improved access to sanitary products and the HPV vaccine.
“Menstrual cycles should not be hidden or be a source of shame. We should be proud and informed. I also learnt the HPV vaccine helps prevent cervical cancer and that we need to talk to our parents to get vaccinated,” one student said.
Another participant called on the government and NGOs to organise such sensitisation events more frequently and urged that sanitary pads be made free or at least subsidised.
“Sanitary pads are expensive. Many girls can’t afford them and end up using tissues, which is unhygienic. The government should help make pads free, especially for girls from low-income homes,” she added.
The students also advocated for intensified public enlightenment campaigns about the availability and benefits of the HPV vaccine, noting that many girls were still unaware that the vaccine is free and accessible.
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