SDG 1:

The first United Nations Sustainable Development Goal aims to “End poverty in all its forms everywhere”. Its seven associated targets aim, among others, to eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women, and children of all ages living in poverty, and implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable. Shifting public resources towards essential services is one of the key policy interventions for reducing poverty and building a better social safety net. Period poverty is an extension of widespread poverty in Nigeria, adding an extra layer of disadvantage and creating unique barriers to opportunities for women and girls.

 

 SDG 3:

Sustainable Development Goal 3 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is to “ensure healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages”. The pandemic and other ongoing crises are hindering progress in achieving SDG3, exacerbating existing health inequalities and threatening progress toward universal health coverage. This has been particularly challenging in low- and middle-income countries, where health systems were already under-resourced before the pandemic.

 

At SFEG we are aligned with the SDG3 targets aimed at ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services; achieving universal health coverage; and reducing the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and pollution. 

 

SDG4: 

“Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.” Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the world was already off-track to achieve its education targets. If no additional measures are taken, only one in six countries will meet SDG4 and achieve universal access to quality education by 2030. An estimated 84 million children and young people will still be out of school and an estimated 300 million students will still not have the basic numeracy and literacy skills they need to succeed in life.

 

62% of the 10.3M out-of-school children in Nigeria are girls. Girls in low-economic communities often miss school during their periods and eventually, drop out of school entirely because they are unequipped to safely manage their monthly flows with dignity. The burden of menstruation affects girls at a critical time in their lives, impacting both their education and economic potential. Because of entrenched stigma and taboos, menstruation is rarely discussed in families or schools, and menarche often arrives suddenly to girls with little or no knowledge of what is happening.

 

It is vital to include menstrual hygiene management as part of any educational agenda for school-aged girls and should be promoted more broadly as a general public health issue because it has serious health and developmental consequences for adolescent girls. It is also an important factor in hindering the education and empowerment of women in the world’s poor countries.

 

SDG 5 and 10:

Sustainable Development Goal 5 and 10 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is to “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls” and “Reduce inequality within and among countries”. This involves working to end all forms of discrimination and inequalities against all women and girls everywhere. Gender inequalities are still deep-rooted in every society and in Africa: 70% of the population still suffers from a lack of access to improved sanitation facilities:- This has a devastating effect on menstruating women and girls. 

 

Safety for Every Girl (SEG) is a voice of advocacy for improved menstrual hygiene management for girls in low-resource environments of Nigeria. We strongly advocate for the addition of menstrual hygiene management (MHM) to the agenda of access to clean water and improved sanitation in schools and to the national responses to humanitarian emergencies.

Period poverty is a broader issue than one of just economy. Period poverty is an extension of widespread poverty in Nigeria, adding an extra layer of disadvantage and creating unique barriers to opportunities for women and girls. Women suffer from a lack of access to decent work and face occupational segregation and gender wage gaps. In many situations, they are denied access to basic education and health care and are victims of violence and discrimination. They are under-represented in political and economic decision-making processes.

 

SDG 12 and 13:

Our decision to provide reusable pads as a solution to period poverty takes into consideration the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 12 and 13 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development address: “Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.” and “Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts” to ensure that we can empower Nigerian girls and women while protecting our planet!

Sustainable consumption and production were identified as one of the three overarching objectives of, and essential requirements for, sustainable development, together with poverty eradication and the management of natural resources in order to foster economic and social development. It was acknowledged that fundamental changes in the way societies produce and consume are indispensable for achieving global sustainable development and combating climate change.

 

SDG 17:

“Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development”. 

Funding for development remains a major challenge, particularly in low-income countries. Many developing countries are battling record inflation, rising interest rates and looming debt burdens, competing priorities, and limited fiscal space. 

The achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals requires all hands-on-deck, particularly developing countries like Nigeria. It requires different sectors and actors to work together in an integrated manner by pooling financial resources, knowledge, and expertise.  A major surge in concerted action is needed to ensure developing countries have access to the financing and technologies needed to accelerate SDG implementation.