Urges FG to eliminate taxes on menstrual products The FAB Treasure Foundation has urged the Federal Government to integrate menstrual hygiene management (MHM) into the national schools’ curriculum to eliminate the stigma and misinformation currently surrounding menstruation and ensure openness. The foundation, which highlighted the need to deploy sustainable solutions to tackle period poverty in the country, advocated the production of low-cost, reusable sanitary products to make them accessible. Period poverty is a harsh reality for many Nigerian women and girls.
The inability to afford menstrual products affects their physical health, education, confidence, and dignity. About 37 million women and girls experience period poverty and are unable to access or afford menstrual products like pads and tampons, pain medication and underwear. The situation presently is worsened by the rising cost of menstrual products, which has forced many to resort to the use of unsanitary alternatives like cloth rags, leaves, or newspapers, thereby exposing them to infections.
The foundation’s Executive Director, Ms Abigail Festus, told The Guardian that menstruation is one of the most defining aspects of a girl’s life, which marks the beginning of her journey into womanhood that should be met with guidance, care, and understanding. She regretted that for many young girls, this transition is far from smooth and instead of support, they encounter silence, stigma, and shame, leaving them to n.
