The need for Anambra State to domesticate the National Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management (MHHM) policy document was the focus of a one-day advocacy planning workshop in Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.
The event, organised by the Development Centre for Orientation, Discovery, and Empowerment (DeCODE) Menstrual Health for Girls (ME4Girls) project, received support from Rise Up Together.
According to the Executive Director of DeCODE, Mrs Cynthia Enweonwu, the documented evidence from ME4Girls baseline study on the menstrual health challenges faced by girls in public secondary schools across Anambra State informed her convening the advocacy workshop to disseminate the health situation assessment in order to establish the Anambra Menstrual Health Advocacy Coalition (AMHAC) to facilitate the adoption and implementation of the National Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management policy in Anambra State.
Mrs Enweonwu noted that such menstrual-related challenges as absenteeism, limited access to affordable menstrual products, gaps in menstrual health education, inadequate water, Sanitation and Hygiene, WASH facilities, pain management and accessibility gaps by girls with disabilities required coordinated action by both the State and non state actors, such as the government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in charge of Health, Education, Women Affairs, Community Based organisations, Civil Society Organisations, Faith Based Organisations, and the media, among other stakeholders to implement the state level action.
“We want to provide a coordinated state framework for improving menstrual health and hygiene management for girls, women, and vulnerable groups in Anambra State with a view to educate them on health, WASH, product access, dignity, inclusion and sustainability”, Mrs Enweonwu opined.
She stressed that the proposed Anambra Menstrual Health Advocacy Coalition will utilise evidence, stakeholder collaboration and constructive engagement with policy makers to support progress towards achieving the goal of the ME4Girls project.
On the expected role of members, Mrs Enweonwu stated that their contributions would be in the areas of knowledge sharing, policy dialogue, public mobilization and amplification of voices.
Explaining the advocacy roadmap, a member of the DeCODE team, Mrs Onyinyechi Chukwu disclosed that the implementation of the National Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management policy in Anambra State is expected to run from July 2026 to July 2027, mapping out the timeline for the key activities.
Also speaking, Mrs Chioma Ezinwa educated the participants on the minimum standards expected from schools and the expectations towards addressing the documented challenges.
Participants were unanimous about the urgency of menstrual health and hygiene management challenges for Anambra girls, and resolved for a collaborative approach to assist the girl child manage menstruation safely without barriers to her education.
High point was the formation of AMHAC in Anambra with the inauguration of the Technical Working Group to review the policy document for adoption and implementation.
