The Bauchi State House of Assembly has passed a bill to establish sanitary pad banks in schools, correctional facilities, and community centres throughout the state.
Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Lawal Dauda, presented the bill at Wednesday’s plenary, as he revealed that the free sanitary pad banks would address menstrual hygiene management challenges and reduce absenteeism in schools.
According to Dauda, Bauchi State is the first in the country to pass such a bill.
9News Nigeria reports that part of the statement revealed that; “This pioneering legislation aims to tackle menstrual hygiene management issues and promote women’s development in the state,” he added.
“This initiative will also improve hygiene for indigent adolescent girls, women, and female inmates during their menstrual periods,” he said.
The Speaker of the House, Mr Abubakar Suleiman, congratulated the state and other partners for their tireless efforts in advocating for the passage of the bill.
Suleiman assured that the bill would have a positive impact on indigent adolescent girls and women who could not afford sanitary pads.
In response to the passage of the bill, the Executive Director of ASHH Foundation, Mrs Comfort Attah, expressed gratitude to the state government, the legislature, and partner organisations for their efforts.
However, she reminded that while the bill’s passage was a significant milestone, it would not be fully implemented until the governor signed it into law.
