Nigerian Correctional Service

As part of activities to commemorate World Menstrual Hygiene Day 2025, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), through its Gender Unit, conducted a nationwide sensitisation campaign focused on promoting menstrual health, breaking down stigma, and supporting the well-being of female inmates across the country.

With the global theme, “Together, We Can Break the Silence and End the Stigma – Menstrual Health for All,” the Service, under the leadership of the Controller General of Corrections, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, and coordinated by the Head of Gender Unit, Assistant Controller of Corrections, Sheyindemi Adenike PhD, presented a robust programme aimed at addressing the menstrual hygiene needs of incarcerated women.

The Gender Advisor, ACC Sheyindemi, led a team from the national headquarters to the Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre, where she partnered with the NGO, Hope Behind Bars, to celebrate with female inmates. During the visit, sanitary pads, tissue paper, detergents and other items were distributed to the inmates as part of the Service’s effort to promote menstrual dignity and self-care in custody.

In her remarks, ACC Sheyindemi emphasised that inmate care is not a privilege but a right, noting that the Service, through its welfare department, has consistently provided sanitary pads and other essential items to women in custody. She added that the NCoS Gender Unit has collaborated with multiple NGOs and philanthropists to ensure that similar distributions are taking place in female custodial centres nationwide.

At the Suleja Custodial Centre event, female inmates also received sensitisation lectures on menstrual hygiene and menopause management, delivered by Deputy Controller of Corrections in charge of Medical, Olisa Charlotte, and Chief Superintendent of Corrections, Christiana Etuokwu. The sessions aimed to educate inmates on how to manage their menstrual cycles safely and hygienically, while also demystifying common myths associated with menopause.

The occasion served as a powerful reminder of the importance of dignity and care for women behind bars. By providing essential hygiene materials and fostering education, the NCoS continues to take bold steps in safeguarding the rights and health of female inmates in alignment with global standards and the goals of correctional reform.