Menstrual Hygiene Day 2021 was centered on the theme: "It's time for action'. For the commemoration, held on 28th of May, U-Report24x7 supported Catholic Relief Service in sharing timely messages to more than 8,607 targeted audiences.
‘Today, we are reminded that all women and girls are to be supported in managing their menstruation in a hygienic way wherever they are. Remember that during our Menstrual Hygiene live chat in March 2021, many U-Reporters took action by joining the conversation and sharing their views and questions on menstrual health.’
Regarding the concerns of young women and girls about managing menstrual pains and how to take care of themselves during their monthly period, the platform was used to address these questions as follows:
1. How can I manage menstrual pains during my period?
Pain during menstruation can be reduced by drinking plenty of warm water, exercising, reducing stress, and taking fruits before and during the monthly period.
2. How should I take care of myself during my period?
You can take care of yourself during menstruation by bathing and changing your pad frequently, eating well, and staying active during the daytime.
Agreeably, poor menstrual hygiene caused by a lack of education on the issue, persisting taboos and stigma, limited access to hygienic menstrual products and poor sanitation infrastructure undermines the educational opportunities, health and overall social status of women and girls around the world. As a result, millions of women and girls are kept from reaching their full potential. Equipped with the right kind of information, women across all communities would help other women and girls towards ensuring that menstrual hygiene is promoted in schools, religious centres and in the community.
U-report24x7 is a free SMS-based social monitoring tool for community participation, designed to address issues that a population cares about. SMS polls and alerts are sent out to U-reporters and real-time response information is collected. Results and ideas are shared back with the community. Issues polled include among others health, education, water, sanitation and hygiene, youth unemployment, HIV/AIDS, disease outbreaks, social welfare sectors, etc. Data received can be disaggregated by age, gender, state, LGA, ward and settlement in real time. Registration is voluntary with SMS free for users across all networks. In Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, active citizens share their views and report issues affecting them through the free SMS based platform. You too can join by sending the text SHIGA to 24453. Your voice matters!
