Pads for her initiative to host policy roundtable on menstrual health in Nigeria

A youth-led non-governmental organization, Pads for Her Initiative, has announced plans to host a high-level policy roundtable on advancing menstrual health through policy action in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.

The event, scheduled for September 18, 2025, in Abuja, will bring together government officials, civil society groups, development partners, private sector actors, and youth-led organizations to deliberate on policies aimed at improving menstrual health access and equity across Nigeria.

Despite growing awareness of menstrual hygiene, millions of Nigerian women and girls, especially in rural and underserved communities, still struggle to access affordable menstrual products and proper menstrual health education.

Founder of Pads for Her Initiative, Amarachi Blessing Ojimmah, said the dialogue would provide a platform to push for reforms that guarantee menstrual equity at the policy level.

“Menstrual health is not a luxury; it is a fundamental human right.

While humanitarian interventions have helped, long-lasting change can only be achieved when menstrual equity is prioritized at the policy level,” Ojimmah stated. “This roundtable seeks to mobilize commitments from government and partners to ensure that no girl or woman is left behind because of her period.”

Discussions at the roundtable will center on three demands: removal of Value Added Tax on menstrual products, enforcement of existing menstrual hygiene policies, and government support for local manufacturing of menstrual products through tax incentives and subsidies.

Participants are expected to include representatives from the Ministries of Youth Development, Health, Women Affairs, and Education, as well as lawmakers, regulatory agencies such as NAFDAC and SON, menstrual product manufacturers, civil society organizations, and international partners including UNFPA and UNICEF.

The roundtable is anticipated to yield key policy recommendations, actionable commitments from ministries and agencies, strengthened partnerships to boost local production and distribution of menstrual products, and a joint communique outlining a roadmap for sustained advocacy and implementation.

Pads for Her Initiative urged policymakers, stakeholders, and partners to take part in the dialogue, describing it as a critical step toward advancing menstrual equity, safeguarding the dignity of women and girls, and promoting public health in Nigeria.