The IHRC Geneva joined the global community in celebrating international day of the girl child on Saturday, 11th October, 2025. A statement released by the IHRC Africa HQ confirms that the organization is actively working towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals 4, 5, and 13 focusing on capacity building for girls, mentorship, and menstrual hygiene education. An IHRC Working Document prepared and signed by Amb. Maureen Teryila Nomnor, the Third Vice President and Diplomatic Service Awards Coordinator emphasized that unfortunately more than half of the female population worldwide menstruate and many do not have access to menstrual products. This leads to improvised menstrual products such as tissue paper, old rags, and even cow dung. A major challenge for girls is the odours and leakages that result from not having proper sanitary products. Girls experience negative thoughts about discrimination, stigmatization, absenteeism, and distractions during educational activities causing some to drop out of school. This ultimately leads to poverty that overflows into the next generation.
The theme for this year’s International Day of the Girl-Child is “Invest in Girls Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well Being”. In line with this theme, the IHRC says it is focused on making every girl relevant in society through ‘our period poverty campaign’. We are inviting Africans to support girls staying in school by joining our campaign against ‘period poverty’.
Amb. Dr. Tivlumun Innocent Ahure, IHRC’s Head of Delegation for Africa & Commissioner noted that the IHRC appreciates the Maureen Teryila Nomnor Working Document and has created a pad bank that would be a supplier of sanitary products in public schools with the hope that national governments across Africa will make period poverty a national priority for all girls. To get involved, you can access a card to our pad bank, donate to our charity box for sanitary pads placed in different locations such as churches, mosques, hotels, courts, and prisons. Partnerships and donations are also welcome.
In year 2026, the International Human Rights Commission will create virtual and physical engagements to end period poverty in Africa. We urge everyone to join our community in making every girl relevant in the African society. Below is the Working Document prepared for the project.
WORKING DOCUMENT!
Empowering Girls, Shaping Africa’s Future By Maureen Teryila Nomnor, Third Vice President and Diplomatic Service Awards Coordinator
As we celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child today, October 11, 2025, the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) Geneva joins the global community in advocating for the rights and well-being of girls worldwide. The theme for this year’s celebration, “Invest in Girls’ Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being,” resonates deeply with IHRC’s mission to promote human rights and development.
In Africa, IHRC is committed to achieving Sustainable Development Goals 4, 5, and 13, focusing on capacity building, mentorship, and menstrual hygiene education for girls. I propose that the IHRC launches a “Period Poverty Campaign” to ensure every girl stays in school and thrives. Through their pad bank, IHRC can be supplying sanitary products to public schools, and be calling on Africans to support this initiative.
Join the Movement
Everyone will encouraged to join and make a difference in the lives of girls by:
- Accessing the Pad Bank: Get a card to access sanitary products for girls in need.
- Donating: Contribute to IHRC’s charity boxes for sanitary pads located in churches, mosques, hotels, courts, and prisons.
- Partnering: Collaborate with IHRC to amplify the impact of their initiatives.
- Spreading Awareness: Join the conversation on social media using relevant hashtags and encourage others to get involved.
Let’s work together to break the cycle of poverty and empower girls to become leaders in their communities. As Kofi Annan once said, “Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a prerequisite for achieving other development goals.” Let’s invest in girls’ rights and shape a brighter future for Africa.