News
Men challenged to support women during menstruation
Men challenged to support women during menstruation
By: Bodunrin Kayode
Men and boys have been challenged to begin a deliberate campaign to support women in achieving a stress free and smooth monthly menstrual cycle.
In a paper titled “The role of men and boys in menstrual hygiene management, Let the men menstruate,” a key speaker at a ceremony to mark the world menstrual day in maiduguri, Dr Tim Daret said it was high time the men stopped being neutral in the issue affecting their partners and colleagues.
Daret who is the WASH Program Manager-Hygiene Promotion in the Christian Relief Services (CRS) said that the women would be much more comfortable if the men took special interest in the challenges associated with monthly menstruation.
Dr Daret posited that men and boys can support women and girls to manage menstruation effectively across different social domains including household, community, school, and work.
“Men and boys influence women and girls experiences of menstrual hygiene management (MHM) through many roles, including as husbands, fathers, brothers, students, peers, teachers, community leaders, entrepreneurs, employers, development and humanitarian practitioners, and policymakers.” he noted.
He regretted that menstruation is still subjected to societal, cultural, and religious constraints, which pose a significant impediment to proper menstrual hygiene management.
Tim maintained that there is an increasing recognition that menstrual hygiene management (MHM) is a multi-sectoral issue that requires integrated action, particularly from the education, health and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sectors.
” Numerous studies have shown that the lack of MHM-friendly facilities and support for schoolgirls and female teachers is a barrier to their full participation in school and thus to quality education.
” Cultural norms around menstruation are rooted in gender inequality and compromise women’s ability to manage menstruation hygienically and with dignity.
” While there has been significant progress in developing comprehensive approaches to menstrual hygiene management (MHM), the role of men and boys in supporting menstrual hygiene has been lacking.
” Engaging boys and men in Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) is crucial for several reasons. Here are some key points highlighting its importance:
Reducing Stigma and Taboos: Involving boys and men helps break down the stigma and taboos surrounding menstruation, fostering a more open and supportive environment.
” Promoting Gender Equality: Education on MHM for boys and men promotes gender equality by normalizing menstruation and ensuring that both sexes understand and respect this natural process.
” Creating Supportive Environments: When boys and men are informed and supportive, they can contribute to creating enabling environments at home, in schools, and in the community where menstruating individuals feel comfortable and respected.
” Improving Health Outcomes: Engaged males can advocate for better menstrual hygiene products and facilities, contributing to improved health and hygiene outcomes for girls and women.
Encouraging Empathy and Understanding: Educating boys and men about menstruation fosters empathy and understanding, which can reduce bullying and discrimination against menstruating individuals.
” Supporting Women and Girls: Informed men can support their partners, daughters, and peers by providing emotional and practical support, such as helping to purchase menstrual hygiene products or advocating for menstrual leave policies.
” Enhancing Communication: Open conversations about menstruation can improve communication between genders, leading to stronger relationships and better mutual support.
Influencing Policy and Decision-Making: Men, often in positions of power, can advocate for and implement policies that ensure menstrual hygiene products are accessible and affordable, and that facilities are available in schools and workplaces.
” Economic Impact: Understanding the challenges associated with menstruation can lead to initiatives that prevent girls from missing school or women from missing work, thereby reducing economic disadvantages.
” Cultural Shift: Engaging boys and men in MHM education helps shift cultural perceptions, making menstruation a normal and accepted part of life rather than a hidden or shameful topic.
By involving boys and men in MHM, societies can take significant steps toward creating more inclusive, supportive, and equitable environments for all individuals.” he stated.
Highlight of the occasion which was held at the Government girls college in maiduguri was the display of how to make reusable menstrual pads and a distribution of pads to all the schools invited to attend the occasion.
The students were also treated to several drama skits to broaden their horizon on the issue of menstruation and why it should be a hitch free exercise instead of a taboo.
Men challenged to support women during menstruation
11 kidnapped Benue Links passengers rescued in Okpokwu
By: Zagazola Makama
Eleven passengers abducted from a Benue Links commercial bus have been safely rescued in a forest near Ondo village in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State.
Zagazola Makama recalls that the passengers were kidnapped on June 22 while travelling along the Otukpo–Enugu highway in a Benue Links Hummer bus.
Security sources reliably confirmed that the victims were freed on June 29 following sustained search operations by the security forced supported by local vigilance groups and the Benue State Civil Protection Guard.
Credible intelligence reportedly indicated that the kidnappers were moving the captives through a bush path around Ondo village in Ugbokolo. In response, the rescue teams swiftly mobilised and launched a coordinated search operation in the area.
After several hours of intense combing of the forest, the victims were found alive and safely evacuated to Ugbokolo town, where they were provided immediate care.
The rescued individuals were identified as Bam Joseph, Doom Terhile, Uju Mercy, Ashika Linda, Atule Ladi, Undia Iveren, Terfa Kwshdoo, Akume Hembadoon, Ikpeen Msendoo, Mlumun Hurt, and Philip Igbuan.
One of the victims, Philip Igbuan, suffered a deep machete wound to the head inflicted by the kidnappers and was immediately taken to the General Hospital in Ugbokolo for medical treatment.
The freed passengers have since been debriefed by the Police and Benue Links has arranged transportation to help them reach their original destinations and reunite with their families.
According to accounts from the victims, their abductors were heavily armed and are suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.
11 kidnapped Benue Links passengers rescued in Okpokwu
Four police officers killed in ambush by suspected herdsmen in Benue
By: Zagazola Makama
Atleast four mobile police officers attached to the 12 Police Mobile Force (PMF) unit were killed following an ambush by suspected armed herdsmen in Udei village, Guma Local Government Area.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the officers were on special duty when they came under heavy fire on June 29 while responding to a distress call.
The sources said that the officers were alerted around 2:00 p.m. that a large group of armed men, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, were advancing toward Udei village with a herd of cattle.
“The attackers had approached the vicinity of the primary school in Udei, which serves as a base for the deployed PMF 12 personnel. As the officers moved to intercept them, they were ambushed and attacked with heavy gunfire,” the report stated.
Four officers tragically lost their lives in the attack, and their service weapons were reportedly carted away by the assailants. The deceased officers were identified as: Insp. Samuel Bisalla, Insp. Emmanuel Bitrus, Insp. John Sunday and Insp. Kenneth Gabriel
Two other personnel, ASP Jacob Elisha and Insp. Zakari Bangajiya sustained injuries and was rushed to Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, for medical attention. They are said to be responding to treatment after suffering from exhaustion and shock.
The corpses of the fallen officers have been deposited at the hospital morgue for preservation and medical examination.
In response to the attack, special tactical units and a reinforced team equipped with an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) have been deployed to Udei and the Daudu Divisional Headquarters to forestall further incidents and restore calm in the area.
Four police officers killed in ambush by suspected herdsmen in Benue
Breaking: Squatters Kill Famous KADVIS Local Commander in Kaduna
By Zagazola Makama
Squatters of a grazing forest by a large community of herders in Kaduna State on Sunday afternoon killed one of the Commanders of Kaduna State Vigilance Service (KADVIS).
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred in Yardoka Grazing Reserve in Kubau Local Government Area, located in Northern Kaduna Senatorial District.
The slain Commander, identified as Saleh Shuaibu, popularly known as Saleh Fiya-Fiya, who is the KADVIS Commander in Kubau Local Government, was killed when officials of the Kaduna State Government visited the area to carry out a government directive in a grazing reserve located at the said Yardoka forest.
The directive, according to a source in Anchau, the headquarters of the local council, was to allocate over 200 hectares of land to a certain company for investment purposes, a move the squatters are resisting due to lack of payment of compensation, while another source said the squatters have been paid but are still demanding more money.
Another source explained that the government officials arrived in the company of armed policemen along with personnel of the Department of State Services but were barricaded from accessing the reserve.
It was while the impasse was going on that the slain KADVIS alighted from a van and was intervening with the irate community members armed with cutlasses and sticks, while one of the protesters stabbed him with a knife and killed him on the spot. A claim Zagazola Makama is yet to confirm.
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