The Teenage Network has launched Demystify Menstruation in Secondary Schools in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The Demystify Menstruation Initiative is designed to help school girls to effectively manage their periods and have access to free sanitary towels to help them focus on learning. This initiative is a direct response to findings of the 2019 Teenage Needs Survey which revealed that 1 in 7 girls miss classes during menstruation. A total of four schools will benefit from this initiative.
In the next six months, Demystify Menstruation will mentor 120 girls by enlightening them on sexual and reproductive health and rights. This will help school girls to better manage menstruation, carry-out periodic self-breast examination, understand their rights and advocate for their rights.
The inaugural edition of the monthly mentoring sessions held in Government Girls Secondary School Dutse, Government Secondary School Mpape, and Government Secondary School Gwagwalada.
During the mentoring sessions, we had Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with the girls to better understand the areas of the knowledge gap and their specific needs. The FGDs are followed by discussions on menstruation and the distribution of sanitary pads. The Teenage Network will continue to work with these girls every month on different aspects of sexuality education for a period of six months. In the coming weeks, an additional school will be adopted and implemented.