Girl child personal hygiene: The role of parents and guidance
International Day of the Girl Child is celebrated on October 11 every year and is dedicated to the growth of girls around the world.
The theme for this year’s International day of girl child is “Digital generation. Our generation,” focusing on the rights, safety and education of girls.
There is no gainsaying that most girl child lacks basic personal hygiene management during menstruation, even when living with their parents or other caregivers.
Before adolescence, parents should be able to educate their girls on how to maintain good hygiene to eliminate offensive smells during and after menstruation.
The safety and confidence of every girl child depend on how you as a parent, prepare her towards accepting responsibility and living a clean and healthy lifestyle.
Are parents still providing this basic knowledge for their girls today? I guess not all. Those on the streets are sure to lack this. There are countless abandoned girls on the streets of Uyo and its environs who do not have an idea on how to maintain personal hygiene nor care for their monthly visitor and this makes them go for anything they see to use, without knowing the health implications.
Some of them go as far as using radar rags, tissue papers, mattress stuffing, among others, which are harmful and can cause great discomfort and diseases. Proper hygiene means bathing from time to time and changing menstrual pads at intervals during the period which will help the body maintain freshness.
Managing sanitary pads after use among the digital generation is also a major factor in most homes, schools, and the Environment. The number of non-biodegradable sanitary pads thrown into the landfills, Oceans and drains take millions of years to decompose which is also harmful to the ecosystem. Most people who go for the recyclable method with personal hygiene practices do not only save the environment but also make their pad remain private which is commendable.
Teaching your girl child the best ways to dispose of her pad is very important even when we cannot really eliminate this kind of waste in our environment.
Boarding students are also facing the same challenge. Looking at most boarding public and private girls’ hostels today, sanitary waste is becoming more alarming because of the lack of awareness and proper ways of disposing of them. This should also form an integral part of the education curriculum.
Schools should set up a separate sanitary pads collection system for menstrual wastes without affecting the privacy and dignity of the girl child. These should be well-covered receptacles to avoid flies, mosquitoes and bad odour.
As the year’s international day of the girl child is celebrated, everyone has a role to play in supporting and protecting the girl child. Guidance is advised to step up their control and care for the girl child; manage this sanitary waste as well as personal hygiene during menstruation.
The Government and non-governmental organizations have cooperate responsibility too in educating the general public on menstrual wastes management which includes the construction of girl-child friendly toilets and also to investigate health implications of menstrual wastes in secondary schools.
Companies dealing with the manufacturing of sanitary pads should also get back to their drawing board to adopt eco-friendly pads that can fasten the decomposition process.
Remember that our Environment plays a vital role in our society. So keep it clean and neat. Always fold used sanitary pads in cellophane paper and disposed of them properly.
Happy International Day of the girl child to all the wonderful girls out there.
