Maden Healthcare Foundation Hosts International Summit on Menstrual Health Equity, Calls for Collective Action to Eliminate Barriers

 

As part of its commitment to advancing menstrual health education and advocacy, Maden Healthcare Foundation successfully concluded its Menstrual Health Awareness Month activities with a landmark international virtual summit held on Saturday, May 30, 2026.

The summit, themed “Menstrual Health Without Barriers: Voices, Solutions & Action,” brought together policymakers, health professionals, development practitioners, educators, innovators, advocates, and students from Nigeria, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The event served as a platform for meaningful dialogue on the challenges, opportunities, and actions required to achieve menstrual equity for all.

Held via Zoom and YouTube, the summit underscored the growing global recognition that menstrual health is not merely a hygiene issue but a critical component of health, education, gender equality, and sustainable development.

Advancing Menstrual Equity Through Systems Strengthening and Collaboration

Delivering the keynote address, Dr. (Mrs.) Mininim Oseji, Head of Service, Delta State, spoke on the topic “Advancing Menstrual Equity Through Collective Action and Systems Strengthening.”

In her presentation, she provided a comprehensive overview of menstruation and emphasized the importance of creating supportive systems that ensure girls and women can manage menstruation safely, confidently, and with dignity.

She highlighted existing opportunities for advancing menstrual equity and stressed the importance of leveraging established structures and policies to improve menstrual health outcomes.

A key aspect of her presentation focused on the role of stakeholders in advancing menstrual equity through a structured school health programme, noting that schools remain one of the most effective platforms for delivering menstrual health education, promoting healthy practices, and supporting adolescent girls.

Dr. Oseji also emphasized the importance of collaboration among governments, educational institutions, healthcare providers, civil society organizations, community leaders, and development partners. According to her, sustainable progress can only be achieved when stakeholders work together and align their efforts toward a common goal.

She further called for greater synergy among existing initiatives and programmes, urging stakeholders to avoid duplication and instead strengthen partnerships that maximize impact.

In a notable contribution, she advocated for increased male involvement in maternal and child health issues, including menstrual health, stressing that breaking societal barriers requires the engagement of men and boys as allies and advocates.

Breaking the Silence: Understanding the Barriers

The first panel discussion, titled “Breaking the Silence: Realities, Stigma & Systemic Barriers,” provided a candid examination of the challenges affecting menstrual health across communities.

Panelists included:

Alero Ogholi, Founder of RUDERF and Social Impact Strategist, Canada

Cecilia Ebeh, Founder of LADEG, Canada

Ambassador Scholarstica Ighorodje, Executive Director, Shecoops Empowerment Initiative

Confidence Osaro-Chikere, Director, Nigerian Medical Students Association Standing Committee on Public Health

The panel identified several factors that continue to hinder menstrual health equity, including:

Poverty and period poverty

Stigmatization and cultural taboos

Silence surrounding menstruation

Gender inequality

Inadequate sanitation and hygiene infrastructure

Poor access to menstrual products

High cost of sanitary products

Panelists agreed that these barriers disproportionately affect girls and women from low-income and underserved communities, often leading to school absenteeism, reduced self-esteem, and compromised health outcomes.

The discussion emphasized the need to normalize conversations around menstruation and challenge harmful beliefs that perpetuate discrimination and exclusion.

Driving Change Through Innovation and Partnerships

The second panel discussion, “Driving Change: Solutions, Innovations & Scalable Models,” shifted the conversation toward practical solutions and sustainable interventions.

Panelists included:

Philip Igboba, Chief Technology Officer, HerSync, United Kingdom

Mfon Otite-Douglas, Founder, PINEFON

Joy Oluchi Mamkwe, Biochemist and Women's Health Advocate

Jacquelyn Hopkins, Founder of Aura Flow and Period Poverty Disruptor, United States

The panel explored innovative and scalable strategies for advancing menstrual health, including:

Integration of menstrual health education into school curricula

Leveraging technology to improve awareness, access, and support

Building partnerships and networks to strengthen advocacy and resource mobilization

Promoting sustainable and environmentally friendly menstrual products

Speakers highlighted the importance of adopting approaches that are culturally appropriate, cost-effective, and sustainable, ensuring that menstrual health solutions can reach the most vulnerable populations.

Launch of the Nigeria School Health and Menstrual Equity Network (NSHMEN) 

A major milestone of the summit was the official launch of the Nigeria School Health and Menstrual Equity Network (NSHMEN), by the Founder of Maden Healthcare Foundation - Dr Eseoghene Agbatutu

The network she said, aims to bring together stakeholders from the education, health, development, and advocacy sectors to strengthen collaboration and promote menstrual equity through school-based interventions and broader community engagement.

Participants welcomed the initiative as a strategic platform for driving coordinated action, sharing best practices, and advocating for policies that support menstrual health and school health programmes across Nigeria.

A Strong Call to Action

During the Call to Action session, participants emphasized that achieving menstrual equity requires more than awareness—it requires sustained commitment and measurable action.

Recommendations from the summit included:

Strengthening school health programmes

Expanding menstrual health education

Improving access to affordable menstrual products

Investing in water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities

Encouraging male engagement and support

Building stronger partnerships across sectors

Supporting innovation and sustainable menstrual solutions

Looking Ahead

As the summit drew to a close, participants expressed optimism about the future of menstrual health advocacy and the opportunities for collaboration across borders and sectors.

The successful gathering of stakeholders from four countries demonstrated the growing momentum behind menstrual health equity and reinforced the message that menstruation should never be a barrier to education, health, leadership, or opportunity.

Through continued advocacy, collaboration, innovation, and action, stakeholders agreed that a future where every girl and woman can manage menstruation with dignity and confidence is both possible and achievable.