INTEGRATING RELIGIOUS NARRATIVES AND ACTIONS TO COUNTER MENSTRUAL DISCRIMINATION IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES

In Bobboi community (Yola North – Adamawa State) a Pastor is mobilizing religious leaders to mainstream menstrual health and dignity topics in religious discourse to challenge and address religious based myths and discri

minatory practices on menstruation. 

Prior to the start of our engagement with community stakeholders, Pastor Hamza was one amongst the religious and faith-based leaders at the fore-front of the backlash against the attempt to push for public discourse and kick against long-standing menstrual traditions. Today Pastor Hamza who doubles as a renowned religious leader and community stakeholder is currently championing the spread and integration of MHD topics and discussions in all of his church and religious activities, comprising of seminars, counselling sessions for women and girls, men’s retreat, youth gathering and general sermons; where he is using these fora to not only create awareness, but also to correct misinformation, and dispel harmful religious and cultural practices. 

As an active participant in our routine community-based assemblies and outreach sessions for parents/caregivers, community, traditional, religious and faith-based leaders, under the SPS project, he like the other stakeholders, were empowered with accurate and comprehensive menstrual information, that sought to dispel myths, break silence and mitigates against harmful norms promoted by religious and cultural beliefs. 

Previously, he like many others avoided the topic of menstruation seeing it as too private or in appropriate for public and religious platforms. However, today he is on a positive trend of mobilizing and exposing other church leaders and members to the realities many young girls faced regarding menstruation including stigma, misinformation, and how it has resulting effects and setbacks on their health, education, safety and dignity. He is working to breakdown the resistance that have been responsible for hindering outreach, open discussions around menstrual health, rights and dignity.  

His efforts have resulted to an official commitment and agreement by the churches’ leadership and members to make menstrual health and dignity a mandatory topic of discussion in the meeting activities of the Boys and Girls Brigade on monthly basis. The same is for men’s retreat, which occurs on a bi-yearly basis. 

The activities engaged by him have also sparked and renewed a remarkable interest on the topic of menstruation and menstrual dignity. There is an increased willingness of people in his congregation and community to openly and continually engage in discussions on menstrual health and dignity in open spaces. The desire to learn is very visible in the community, as seen in the number of persons attending such religious activities where menstrual health is being discussed – the desire to seek more clarity and get factual information that is helping the community dismantle negative norms and helping menstruators (especially teen and adolescent) to navigate around prevailing harmful practices endangering their health, safety and dignity when menstruating. 

Like other church leaders, Pastor Hamza is curious about the feasibility of a specific curriculum that seeks to unearth and address religious-related beliefs and practices that have been detrimental to women’s menstrual health and rights. EGI staff have also been active facilitators in leading learning sessions in Pastor Hamza church and religious activities.