Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has issued a compelling call for cross-sector collaboration to combat period poverty and menstrual stigma, declaring that menstruation should never become a barrier to girls’ education or personal dignity.
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In her message marking International Menstrual Hygiene Day 2025, Tinubu embraced this year’s theme, “Together for a #PeriodFriendlyWorld,” highlighting the shared obligation to empower girls through comprehensive menstrual health resources and education.
“Menstruation must not limit a girl’s access to education, health, and equal opportunities. Let us ensure that our girls have access to clean water, sanitary pads, and proper hygiene practices so they do not miss school days,” the First Lady stated.
She noted the critical importance of early menstrual education, advocating for awareness programmes that extend beyond girls themselves to encompass families and entire communities. This approach, she argued, would foster “a culture of openness and understanding” around what remains a taboo subject in many Nigerian communities.
Tinubu stressed that creating a truly period-friendly environment requires dismantling deeply entrenched social stigmas surrounding menstruation. “We can do more to eliminate period poverty and stigma to enable every girl live with dignity,” she declared.
The First Lady called for strengthened partnerships between government agencies, civil society organisations, educational institutions, and private sector stakeholders to ensure menstrual hygiene products become available, affordable, and accessible to all Nigerian girls and women.
Her advocacy comes at a time when national attention is increasingly focused on integrating menstrual health into comprehensive public health and education policies. Education advocates have consistently highlighted how inadequate menstrual hygiene facilities in schools, particularly in rural communities, contribute significantly to chronic absenteeism among adolescent girls.
Through her signature “Renewed Hope Initiative,” Tinubu has championed multiple social welfare programmes designed to uplift women and girls. The initiative has strategically incorporated menstrual hygiene support into its broader adolescent girl empowerment programmes, recognising the fundamental connection between menstrual health and educational achievement.
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