Of the 500 million global people experiencing period poverty globally, 37 million are in Nigeria. Period poverty is a lack of access to products, facilities,  resources and education to manage periods safely and with dignity. 

Our work as an NGO tackling this issue with a specific focus on young school girls exposes us to the empirical reality of its impact on girls' education. During our recent pre-outreach survey in March, we discovered that 1 in 6 girls in Lagos and 1 in 5 in Ibadan miss school during their periods because of a lack of access to period products, in addition to a vast majority who use undignifying alternatives such as tissues and foam. 

The urgency of the situation cannot be overstated. These data, generated from just two major cities in Nigeria, hint at a far more dire situation in other locations, particularly in  peripheral areas. The current context of an unprecedented hike in the prices of period products, precipitated by the acute economic crisis, exacerbates the issue. We know that when girls' access to education is limited, as it is now due to period poverty, they grow up to be women who lack the necessary education to access opportunities. This perpetuates gender inequality, a cycle we must break. 

This is why, in this month of global menstrual advocacy, we are asking you to sign our petition to tell the government and other relevant authorities to take the following actions to promote menstrual equity in schools and secure girls' right to education:

• Provide free period products in schools.
• Ensure school lavatories meet United Nations WASH standards.
• Make menstrual health education a taught subject in schools.
• Organise training for teachers to support menstruating girls, particularly those impacted by painful menstruation.

On May 28, Menstrual Hygiene Day, we will take these demands and the signed petition to relevant government bodies and organisations. Please lend your voice.