The Cross River State Government, in partnership with ToiletPride and SAFEPAD, has commemorated World Nutrition and Menstrual Hygiene Day in Calabar. The event aimed to support women and the girl child by providing essential education on managing menstrual flow as a natural phenomenon.
ToiletPride and SAFEPAD are non-governmental organizations operating in the state to deliver world-class menstrual hygiene education and quality products. The reusable pads they promote are medically certified, produced by a trusted partner, and can be used repeatedly without negative health impacts.
Declaring the event open at the Diamond Hall of Metropolitan Hotel, Calabar, the wife of the Governor, Her Excellency Bishop Eyoawan Otu, represented by Dr. Mrs. Inyang Asibong, expressed the commitment of the Otu administration to addressing challenges that limit the potential of women and the girl child. She noted that the partnership aims to counter stereotypes and behaviors socially imposed on women against their will, particularly in rural areas.
She acknowledged that Cross River State is 70% rural, and the girl child often lacks funds to acquire disposable sanitary pads. Therefore, the reusable pad—safe, healthy, and certified for repeated use—offers a viable solution without complications.
Speaking on the unique pad, the State Business Development Officer for ToiletPride, Mr. John Ogar, said the product has a global presence and has supported interactive sessions to address market barriers to sustainable access to menstrual health products for girls and women in Nigeria.
According to Mr. Ogar, World Nutrition and Menstrual Hygiene Day offers an opportunity to engage stakeholders in the state in discussions on how best to solve challenges surrounding nutrition and menstrual hygiene. He added that the product can be reused up to 100 times.
Addressing stakeholders, the General Manager of Cross River State RUWATSSA, Hon. Oko Sunday Ebeku, represented by Mr. Ebit Bassey, said the event provides a unique opportunity to reflect on critical issues deeply connected to the health, dignity, and well-being of girls and women—namely nutrition and menstrual health management.
He stated that good nutrition is fundamental to healthy living, growth, productivity, and development, while menstrual hygiene remains an essential component of women's health, gender equality, education, and human dignity. He lamented that millions of girls and women across Nigeria still face serious barriers in accessing affordable, safe, and sustainable menstrual health products and adequate nutrition.
Adding her voice, the WASH Focal Person for RUWATSSA, Mrs. Alice Egbara, presented the concept of why period poverty still matters, analyzing the peculiarities associated with women and the girl child. She highlighted traditions, culture, religion, and myths that constitute barriers, including limitations to the growth and development of most girls and women in society. Meanwhile, the Vice Chairman of Odukpani LGA and FEminWASH Ambassador, Hon. Mrs. Patricia Nya, pointed out that traditions are man-made burdens imposed on women to limit their potential.
Highlights of the event included goodwill messages from relevant stakeholders, personal testimony from witnesses, and a question-and-answer session. In attendance were stakeholders from RUWATSSA, Ministry of Women Affairs, CRS PHCDA, Ministry of Water Resources, State Planning Commission, Stewardship Empowerment Foundation, Clinical Nutrition Research Institute, and FEminWASH.
By Iloke Egbe
