Organization:  MUDIAGA AFRICARE INITIATIVES, NIGERIA (M.A.I.N.)

Background/Context:

Poor menstrual health practices are a situation that is prevalent among women in rural and remote communities across the length and breadth of Nigeria; this poor menstrual health practices not only affects their individual socio-economic capacity and wellbeing of these women and girls, but also affects their spiritual and psychological development; A 2022 UNFPA Nigeria (a United Nation’s sexual and reproductive health agency) and Lagos State Government (Nigeria) survey collaboration to evaluate the level of menstrual health management and its implications on the overall wellbeing of young girls in some selected secondary schools across various rural communities in the State revealed that about 57% of girls interviewed had poor knowledge about menstrual hygiene, and over 77% reported re-using their menstrual materials which turn-out to be non-reusable pads; Our field experiences, and a persistent requests for menstrual pads intervention from young girls and middle-aged women who have participated in our various rural outreaches especially in Ogbese, Uso, Igisogba, Owena, and Ifira-Akoko communities of Ondo State indicates that the problem is not limited Lagos State alone but also exist in other States of Nigeria; therefore with these study, we hope to formally investigate the prevalence of the problem of poor menstrual health practices and the its effects on the socio-economic and spiritual wellbeing of women and girls in select rural communities of Ondo State. 

This project is funded by: A Meros Center small project grant thanks to donors like you

Research Question:  

Does the Christian faith and belief system affect the menstrual health practices of women in the rural areas of Ondo State of Nigeria? If yes, then how does the Christian faith and belief system affect the menstrual health practices of women in the rural areas of Ondo State of Nigeria? 

Study Aims:

1. To establish a reliable body of proof on the prevalence of menstrual health related poverty with the hopes of attracting the attention of public and private intervention organizations towards addressing the situation;
2. To investigate the effects of menstrual health poverty on the overall socio-economic and spiritual well-being of women in the rural areas of Ondo State of Nigeria;
3. To investigate impact of the poor menstrual health situation of women in the rural areas of Ondo State of Nigeria on their spiritual growth, attendance, and participation in church and fellowship;
4. To investigate the acceptability of, and effects of reusable sanitary pads on women in the rural areas of Ondo State of Nigeria; and to measure the relative effects of the use of reusable sanitary pads on their socio-economic, psychological, and spiritual well-being.

Impact:

We hope that the outcome of these study will lead to a better understanding of how poor menstrual health practices negatively affect the socio-economic, growth and spiritual life of women in the rural areas of Ondo State in Nigeria, and how to reverse the trend; as well as create increased awareness on the prevalence of menstrual health poverty amongst women in the rural areas of Ondo State of Nigeria, and result in sustainable interventions by governmental, non-governmental, and faith-based institutions to improve the menstrual health situation of women and girls in the rural areas of Ondo State of Nigeria.

Open Positions: (Fully staffed)

Timeline:  November 2024 – October 2025

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