January 2014

Editor In Chief Elsie Ijorogu Reed Managing Editor and Coordinator Kirthi Jayakumar Contributors Federica Busiello Jamie Crockett Miriam Bentham Obiomachi Madukoma Renee Grozelle Designer Kirthi Jayakumar

Smile Awhile
By: Jamie Crockett Smile awhile, and give your face a rest I remember repeating this song lyric with classmates during my childhood. I even recall a popular television shows catchy tune that reinforced what my mother taught me about taking care of my pearly whites. These were fun reminders of an important day-to-day routine. There are so many existing brands of toothpaste, toothbrushes, flosses, mouthwash, and teeth whiteners. Some prefer different combinations, others may practice using a primary

method, but I believe we all agree that dental hygiene is essential. I must admit along the way I have developed a cavity, which is likely due to my sweets intake during my teenage years. According to a report from the World Health Organization in 2012, 60 to 90 percent of school children and nearly 100 percent of adults have cavities. Dont fear! There are ways to prevent cavities and other diseases such as gingivitis or even oral issues like halitosis (bad breath). The American Dental Association (ADA) has given a standard, which encourages individuals to brush their teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled brush. And flossing in between each tooth afterwards is also recommended along with eating what is considered to be a balanced diet - not including so many sweets. Even though some of us may dread visiting our dentists, its absolutely necessary to ensure our oral health is taken care of. We can expect for our dentists to provide thorough, professional cleaning as well as assist us in correcting and preventing and possible damage in the future. Feeling great about your dental health can contribute to a wonderful mood and can even be contagious. So take good care of your pearly whites and smile awhile. They tell me youre never fully dressed without it.

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Personal Hygiene and the risk of sexual violence in displacement camps

By Federica Busiello Personal hygiene is something we take for granted. We dont associate a risk of violence with basic daily necessities such as brushing your teeth or going to the toilet. But this is not the case for everyone. I first came across the issue of sexual violence in and around washing facilities a few years ago when I conducted a short literature review on protection issues within displacement camps in Haiti. I was shocked, to say the least. Refugee and internally displaced peoples (IDP) camps often register a high incidence of rape cases, many of which are committed in and around sanitation facilities. People end up in camps because they are in need of safety, often as a direct result of wars and natural disasters. They expect a temporary safe haven, a place where they can figure out where to go next and how. However, there are many cases of rape and women are often too scared to venture to toilet facilities during the night. Because of how widespread this problem is, humanitarian support strategies take into consideration the issue of safety of sanitation facilities. Preventative measures, such as better lighting and lockable doors, are taken into account but are sometimes difficult to implement and in other cases not enough to ensure protection. Rape in displacement camps does not only occur near personal hygiene facilities. In many cases women sleep in fear as the attackers can easily break into their victims shelter undisturbed. Gathering firewood for cooking can also be hazardous as women may have to walk unprotected for a long distance.

Women and children live in fear of violence in many camps and unsecure settlements around the world such as the post earthquake camps in Haiti, the Somali displacement camps, the Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon and Jordan, the Saharawi refugee camps in Algeria, the Darfuri refugee camps in Eastern Chad, the Nigerian IDPs camps and many more around the world. Floods in 2012 forced many Nigerians to take shelter in camps after many states were affected, including the Delta State. As many as 2.3 million people were internally displaced and there were reports of sexual violence in the camps. As of January 2014, 16000 people still live in displacement camps and are at risk of violence and abuse every day. The UN defines sanitation and personal hygiene and personal security as human rights. Unfortunately, many women have neither. They live in fear, forced to live in uncertain and unsafe conditions, where theres always the risk of being attacked when going to washing facilities and carrying out other daily activities. What can we do? We can raise the issue, educate our peers and our children. We can put organised pressure on governments and humanitarian actors to ensure the safeguard of refugees and IDPs human rights. We can be involved in building safer camps. We can push for punishments for the perpetrators. We can give a stronger voice to the victims of violence. Lets not leave them alone.

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The Menstruation Myth

SHE Sustainable Health Enterprises is helping Rwandan women set up their own businesses that produce and sell sanitary pads made from affordable, natural materials. FAWE - Forum of African Women Educationalists is currently fighting for legislation in Uganda to supply sanitary napkins to female students without charge. BRAC Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee is working on a project to produce sanitary napkins locally, which keeps the products accessible and affordable. Raising awareness of these organisations, or devising our own approaches to solve the need for sanitary protection are amazing steps forward. On a day-to-day level, we need to start approaching our own menstruation with a matterof-factness that for many women would be a luxury. Even in the most developed western cultures, a squeamishness regarding menstruation persists. This has limited effective debate by global health organisations on ways to tackle the huge need for sanitary protection. For those of us who take for granted our access to safe and affordable sanitary protection, it is our responsibility to no longer tolerate squeamishness regarding menstruation. Hiding our tampons and sanitary towels on the way to the bathroom at work; telling our bosses we need to go home due to a headache rather than saying painful periods this must stop. We are embarrassed to tell people we are on our period, when our only embarrassment should be that we are still pretending periods dont exist. The more we pretend away our periods, the more we segregate Mens Issues and Womens Issues. If women are dying because they dont have access to proper sanitary protection that is not a Womens Issue, it is a World Issue.

By Miriam Bentham The average woman will experience 3,000 days of menstruation throughout her lifetime. For most women around the world, any period-related worries can be allayed with a quick trip to the supermarket. But for millions of women in developing countries, periods can be life threatening. Many of these women miss an average four days of school or work every month because they do not have access to affordable, safe sanitary protection. If imported sanitary protection is available, it is often too expensive, leaving many women to use makeshift means, such as rags, newspaper or soil. When coupled with limited access to clean water, these methods can lead to infection and even death. Education is the most effective way to defeat gendered imbalances of power worldwide, and womens missed schooling has a direct socioeconomic impact that ricochets through communities and generations. In many communities stigma surrounding menstruation prevents proper discussion of it. These communities are often overseen by mostly-male governments and lawmakers, who do not understand how a lack of sanitary protection can restrict the lives of women. Over the last few years many inspiring new projects have begun tackling this issue by providing sustainable methods for women to be properly protected during their periods. Here are a few:

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Hygiene and Diabetes

By Obiomachi Madukoma Diabetes, or sugar disease as it is known by many, is a disease that leads to many complications in those affected by it. Diabetes is a condition in which a person has high blood sugar either because the body does not produce any insulin, or it is unable to properly use the insulin produced by the pancreas. Information on diabetes management in Nigeria is mostly focused on nutrition. Though very important, managing nutrition alone does not prevent some complications of diabetes. It is therefore necessary to stress the importance of hygiene in diabetes management Diabetes reduces the bodys ability to effectively fight infections and also slows the process of healing. The increased sugar content of the blood provides an environment in which microorganisms can thrive, hence the increased risk for infection. We will stress 3 areas in the body to which people living with diabetes need to pay very close attention. Oral hygiene: We all have micro-organisms that are normally present in our mouths. In diabetes however, without proper oral hygiene these organisms can overwhelm the bodys ability to fight them, leading to gum disease, tooth decay, fungal infection (oral thrush) and others. It is therefore very important to brush and floss properly.

Foot care: Diabetes can lead to a condition in which a person begins to lose sensation in his or her feet. This is called peripheral neuropathy. A person with this loss in sensation may step on a small piece of broker glass and not notice it till infection has set in. It is therefore very important to regularly check and keep the feet and in-between the toes clean. It is equally important to use foot wear that protect the feet from things on the ground that may injure the individual. Skin: The skin is often the bodys first barrier against infection. When there is an open area on the skin, there is increased risk of infection. With injured or open skin, bacteria that normally live on our skin without causing any problems can enter the body and lead to potentially life threatening illness if not caught on time. It is therefore very important to keep the skin clean and properly moisturized. When there is a skin irritation, it is advised not to scratch the area as doing so may break the skin and allow bacteria to enter the body. People living with diabetes can live healthy and fulfilled lives. Knowledge is the key.

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Sanitation
By Renee Grozelle An important element of maintaining your health is being able to properly take care of your body. Practicing personal hygiene is essential in order to prevent the spread of germs and combating against illness (Murray & Lopez, 1997). However, what happens when an individual is not given the appropriate means by which to exercise measures that will aid them in sustaining their own health? Variations in an individuals demographic and social environment can negatively or positively impact the maintenance of personal hygiene (Smith, 2007). Where an individual lives results in differences in the level of environmental pollution, as well as access to clean drinking water and sanitation needs. Personal hygiene and access to proper sanitation has often been overlooked throughout the world (Ahianba, Dimuna & Okagun, 2008). Poor hygiene has numerous damaging costs to an individuals health (Farmer, 2001). Promoting safe personal hygiene practices, such as proper waste disposal, food hygiene, and hand washing must be done through institutional and community efforts (Smith, 2007). Environmental degradation has led to the increase of poverty within numerous regions throughout the world, which in turn, has led to a decrease in access to safe water and sanitation (Aluko, 2004). Moreover, oil spills have caused the water, ground, and air to become polluted resulting in the outbreak of diseases (Okonta & Douglas, 2003).

Although there has been a large amount of attention directed toward providing resources that are imperative to maintaining health, it is estimated that 900 million people still lack safe drinking water (Fisher, 2006). It is imperative that individuals are given access to both basic sanitation needs and clean water, in order to properly maintain personal hygiene (Brulle & Pellow, 2006). A number of communities depend on water for domestic use that has been polluted by waste discharge (Nwankwo, Phillips, & Tracey, 2007). Since individuals may only have polluted rivers and streams to rely on for water, they are unable to maintain proper personal hygiene (Moe & Rheingans, 2006). Disease endemic due to poor sanitation and insufficient water supply has led to diseases such as diarrhoea, guinea worm, hook worm, infectious hepatitis, scabies, and other viruses (Aluko, 2004). There is an increasing need to address the lack of legal remedies and protection policies that should be focused on conserving safe water supplies and managing sanitation facilities and programs to aid personal health and hygiene (Raffensperger & Tickner, 1999). Although studies have found that a large majority of individuals do not have access to clean water and sanitation, the suggested ways to improve these issues has often been ignored (Nwankwo, Phillips, & Tracey, 2007). In order to improve human health and reduce vulnerability to diseases efforts must be made to improve and sustain the environment (Ahianba, Dimuna & Okagun, 2008).

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OKUIJOROGU SCHOOL The school at Okuijorogu that Delta Women has helped to open is on its way to being completed. The construction process has begun officially!

DELTA WOMEN DRUMBEAT BEGINS! Delta Women Drumbeat, our very own Radio Show went live! Being aired every Monday at 11.45 AM, these programs are for the purpose of empowerment and enlightenment. We are calling on the public to offer suggestions of topics and subjects to focus each episode, so as to benefit our target audience of mid-level to rural women and youth.

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