Chinedum Treasure
The Anambra State Government is taking steps towards institutionalising Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management through a proposed state policy designed to guarantee the dignity, health, inclusion and educational rights of girls and women.
The initiative received a boost following a commitment by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs Esther Onyekesi, to support the policy development and adoption process and facilitate its consideration through the appropriate government channels.
Onyekesi gave the assurance in Awka during an advocacy visit by the Development Centre for Orientation, Discovery and Empowerment (DeCODE), led by its Executive Director and Coordinator of the Anambra Menstrual Health Advocacy Coalition (AMHAC), Mrs Cynthia Enweonwu-Arinze.
The Commissioner described the proposed policy as consistent with the ministry’s responsibilities and pledged to mobilise the relevant departments, including the Office of the Permanent Secretary, to work with the advocacy coalition.
“I’m already in. It’s what I want. When somebody brings something you’ve been clamouring for, what do you do? Support with 100 per cent. You have my support 100 per cent,” she said.
Onyekesi expressed the hope that the policy would eventually receive the approval of Governor Chukwuma Soludo.
The proposed Anambra State Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management Policy is expected to provide a comprehensive framework for addressing the challenges associated with menstruation through coordinated government action, defined institutional responsibilities, sustainable financing and accountability mechanisms.
Presenting the advocacy brief, Mrs Enweonwu-Arinze said the policy would translate national commitments on menstrual health into practical interventions at the state level, ensuring that the subject received sustained attention in government planning, budgeting and public programmes.
She explained that the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare was expected to provide leadership in driving the adoption process, while civil society organisations would offer technical assistance and advocacy support.
According to her, the immediate task is to work with the ministry to move the draft policy and its implementation framework through the necessary government review processes for eventual approval by the governor.
She emphasised that the policy must go beyond formal adoption to provide a basis for dedicated budgetary allocations and sustained implementation.
Mrs Enweonwu-Arinze said the framework would address access to affordable menstrual products, adequate water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools, comprehensive menstrual health education and the specific needs of girls with disabilities.
She noted that the need for such an intervention was reinforced by findings from a situation assessment conducted by DeCODE under its Menstrual Ease for Girls (ME4Girls) Project in 12 public secondary schools across six local government areas.
The assessment, involving 1,315 students, showed that 25.4 per cent of the girls had missed school because of menstruation within the preceding three months, while 83.8 per cent identified free or affordable menstrual products as their most pressing need.
It also revealed that only two of the 12 schools had toilets rated clean and safe, three had functional handwashing stations and just four had formal written menstrual health policies.
The findings further exposed accessibility challenges for students with disabilities, with 78.3 per cent of those who disclosed a disability reporting that their school toilets were available but unusable, compared with 36.9 per cent of students without a disclosed disability.
Mrs Enweonwu-Arinze said the evidence demonstrated why menstrual health required a comprehensive policy response rather than isolated interventions.
Also speaking, the project consultant, Dr Rose Amasiani, described the proposed policy as an important instrument for protecting menstrual health rights, addressing misconceptions and ensuring that girls and women could access appropriate information, facilities and sanitary materials.
She expressed concern over the rising cost of sanitary pads and called for sustainable government interventions to make menstrual products affordable and accessible.
While commending ongoing sanitary pad distribution initiatives by the First Lady of Anambra State, Dr Amasiani stressed the need for a structured policy framework that would guarantee continuity and institutional commitment.
The policy advocacy process has recorded progress with the establishment of AMHAC following a stakeholder workshop organised by DeCODE on August 21, 2026, which attracted 51 participants from government institutions, civil society organisations, the media and the ME4Girls project team.
The coalition subsequently inaugurated a Technical Working Group, which met on September 11, 2026, to review the draft policy and proposed implementation framework.
The meeting considered institutional responsibilities, coordination arrangements, financing, phased implementation, monitoring and accountability, and adopted a communiqué outlining recommendations for advancing the document.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Nkeiru Mokwe, and other officials attended the advocacy visit.
About Author
