Abuja: Connected Development (CODE), a civil society organisation, has called on the Federal Government to empower women by upgrading its skill acquisition centres across the country to include the production of reusable sanitary pads. Mr Hamzat Lawal, Chief Executive of CODE, made the call in Abuja during a strategic meeting on the organisation’s partnership with HUMANx Fashion.

According to News Agency of Nigeria, the partnership aims to distribute reusable pads to girls in underserved communities. Lawal stated that CODE had received a consignment of reusable pads and, leveraging its grassroots mobilisation and community networks, had commenced distribution across the six geopolitical zones. He explained that the demand for the pads extended beyond schoolgirls to include their teachers and mothers, highlighting a widespread need for menstrual hygiene products.

In Kogi, pads were distributed to students in three institutions, including the School of Nursing in Obangiri, Girls Secondary School in Okene, and Opogoro Community Secondary School. Lawal noted that the government owns the largest network of skill acquisition centres nationwide, which could be upgraded to train women and girls in making reusable sanitary pads. He suggested that women could be grouped into clusters within villages and communities to sew reusable pads, thereby creating jobs and ensuring a sustainable source of income.

Lawal also recommended the establishment of ‘pad banks’ at strategic locations to allow women or girls to access reusable pads discreetly during menstruation, especially while travelling or in emergencies. He urged the government to revitalise its skill acquisition centres and partner with CSOs to achieve large-scale impact, calling menstrual hygiene ‘a national emergency’.

Mrs Gbemi Elekula, Founder of HUMANx and Dream Homes, expressed that the partnership with CODE was rooted in cultural relevance, creativity, and community empowerment. She praised CODE’s role in logistics and distribution, stating that the collaboration allowed HUMANx to focus on its core strength, designing with purpose. Elekula called the partnership a successful model of collaboration between art and advocacy and urged for greater government intervention, including the provision of sewing machines in communities and funding from donor agencies to sustain the project.