TheCable

Pauline Tallen, minister of women affairs, says there should be better policies on menstrual hygiene matters as it relates to women and girls with disabilities.

According to NAN, Tallen spoke on Wednesday at the commemoration of the 2022 menstrual health and hygiene management day celebration held at the School for the Deaf in Abuja.

Tallen, represented by Gloria Ekanem, an official of the gender unit in the ministry, said women and girls with disabilities encounter challenges while accessing menstrual hygiene facilities.

According to her, female PWDs also find it difficult to access structures, read directions, and utilise toilet facilities properly.

“Maintaining menstrual health hygiene and practices for all these women and their families is challenging, therefore an unending uphill struggle to which people require a lot of mental and physical support,” she said.

“When it comes to communication and interacting with these children to convey information concerning menstruation, the interpreter needs to be accurate, as it could be dangerous too if they interpret the information incorrectly and follow wrong practices.”

She said infrastructure designs, policies, as well as water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities should be made available for women and girls with disabilities.

She also encouraged organisations to support women and girls with disabilities by creating awareness and helping them to access necessary menstrual hygiene materials.