Anambra may soon have a State Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management (MHHM) Policy after stakeholders validated the draft policy and its proposed implementation framework.
The validation exercise was held during a technical meeting organised by the Anambra Menstrual Health Advocacy Coalition (AMHAC) Technical Working Group through the Development Centre for Orientation, Discovery and Empowerment (DeCODE), under the Menstrual Ease for Girls (ME4Girls) Project, with support from Rise Up Together.
The meeting brought together representatives of the Ministries of Women Affairs, Education and Health, education agencies, RUWASSA, civil society organisations and the media to review the draft policy and chart a practical roadmap for its implementation.
Participants also considered findings from the Anambra State Menstrual Health Situation Assessment, which examined menstrual health challenges, gaps and opportunities across six local government areas and 12 public secondary schools.
The findings were used to strengthen the draft policy and ensure it reflects the realities facing girls in the state.
A major focus of the meeting was defining the roles of key institutions in implementing the policy.
Under the proposed framework, the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare will coordinate policy adoption and provide overall leadership, while the Ministry of Education will drive implementation in schools in partnership with the Post-Primary Schools Service Commission (PPSSC) and the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB).
The Ministry of Health will lead the health-related components of the policy, while the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) will support the provision of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities needed to create menstrual-friendly school environments.
Civil society organisations and the media will support advocacy, community engagement, public education, monitoring and accountability to sustain progress on menstrual health.
At the end of the meeting, members of the AMHAC Technical Working Group endorsed the draft policy and implementation framework, subject to the incorporation of technical recommendations before final approval.
The stakeholders also agreed to strengthen inter-ministerial collaboration, establish clear implementation timelines and develop accountability mechanisms to ensure the policy delivers measurable impact.
The finalised draft will be prepared for submission to Governor Chukwuma Soludo and the Anambra State Executive Council as the next step towards formal adoption.
Stakeholders described menstrual health as a critical cross-sectoral issue, noting that a comprehensive policy would help improve access to menstrual products, accurate information, safe sanitation facilities and supportive learning environments for girls across Anambra State.
