Medical Reviewer: Dr. Paulinus Essien (MD)
BHI Editorial Team
Dear Readers,
Silence quietly steals a girl’s confidence, dignity, and understanding during puberty, but open conversations restore them through learning, trust, and support. Menstruation is one the natural and pivotal signs of puberty in girls, therefore, every girl child deserves access to menstrual education, and hygiene products to manage her period safety and confidently in a clean environment.
Every month, 14-year-old Cynthia confronts an unavoidable choice; While her classmates were in school, Cynthia missed lessons and fell behind, burdened by shame and pain that no child should endure. This includes staying at home during her period or use rags, and face embarrassment because of lack of NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs) for pain/cramps at school, because her parents could not afford sanitary pads. While her classmates were in school, she missed her lessons and lagged academically. Her experience mirrors that of millions of girls worldwide who face period poverty in a silent crisis that robs them of education, dignity, and opportunity. She quietly carried the burden of the challenge girls from vulnerable and low-income households around the world experience daily. Her story is typical, and highlights the exigency of period poverty, which contributes to health barriers, education inequity, and inequality robbing the dignity of innumerable adolescent and teenage girls.
| Did you know that period poverty is a complex public health crisis that transcends cultures and borders, affecting approximately 1.7 billion people worldwide due to inadequate access to menstrual hygiene products and sanitation facilities? For example, the prevalence of period poverty in Nigeria, was 51.3%, escalating sharply to 72.1% in rural areas compared to 31.1% in municipalities. |
As a parent or guardian, you have a responsibility to intervene and contribute to curbing period poverty menace. Your voice amplifies their challenges and bridges the gap between period poverty and menstrual literacy. Silence is fertile soil for fear and misinformation, so do not let it choke the confidence and self-worth of adolescent and teenage girls.
Since silence is a thief of confidence, conversation is key to empowerment.
Building from our previous blog, here are more reasons to start and sustain meaningful conversation with your daughter;
1. Improving Sexual and Reproductive Health Outcomes
Parent–teen intercommunication improves knowledge on pregnancy prevention, increases confidence in help-seeking behavior, and access to health services. Communities where access to menstrual products and services may be limited, informed adolescents are better able to seek support and make safer choices.
Field Use:
Simple resource sheets on hygiene, and menstruation management.
Community sessions linking parents to local health resources.
2. Building Healthy Relationships and Boundaries
Without parental guidance, adolescents may struggle to understand consent, boundaries, and respect in relationships. Silence can affect how they relate to others later in life. Parents who talk openly help children build respectful and assertive relationships.
Field Use
Parental guides highlight the importance of teaching respect and boundaries.
Community conversations on consent and dignity.
3. Addressing Shame, Body Image, and Self-Worth
When puberty and menstruation are treated as taboo, adolescents may internalize shame, leading to negative body image and low self-esteem. In contrast, open and affirming communication helps normalize these changes and builds self-efficacy and agency.
Field Use
Messaging: “Periods are normal, not shameful”.
Activities that encourage positive body awareness.
4. Supporting Decision-Making and Life Skills
Puberty is a critical time for developing judgment and coping skills. Without parental support, adolescents may be insecure and diffident in decision-making. Your voice becomes their internal guide, especially when they face difficult situations about their self-worth.
Field Use
Parental toolkits on guiding decision-making.
Group discussions: “How do we help children make safe choices?”
5. Strengthening the Parent–Child Relationship
Collaborative communication builds trust and long-term wellbeing. When communication is absent, emotional distance grows, and adolescents seek guidance elsewhere, or they may not seek help at all. In Period Poverty interventions, trust is essential because it ensures that children feel safe asking for help, products, or information.
Field Use
Parent reflection sessions: “What makes it easy or difficult to talk to my child?”
Community engagement: Encourage ongoing dialogue, not one-time talks.
A Gentle Word to Parents
It is okay not to have all the answers.
It is okay to feel uncomfortable.
What matters is your willingness to start saying; “Let’s talk about this together,”
this can change your child’s experience completely.
What You Can Do Today
Ask: “How are you feeling about the changes you’re noticing?”
Use everyday moments to start conversations.
Listen more than you speak.
Share accurate, simple information.
Keep the conversation ongoing.
Key Takeaway
For the Period Poverty Reduction Campaign, parental communication is not optional but essential. It drives awareness, supports behavior change, and strengthens community engagement.
Adolescents who receive guidance from parents are more likely to:
✔ Manage menstruation with confidence.
✔ Make informed health decisions.
✔ Maintain dignity and self-worth.
✔ Stay engaged in school and community life.
Silence does not protect children; connection does.
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Call to Action: Be the
reason a girl child stays in school |