Reproductive System & Sexual Disorders: Current Research
Open Access
ISSN: 2161-038X
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2161-038X
+44 1300 500008
Joshua T. Flama
Lagos state university, Nigeria
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Reprod Syst Sex Disord
Background: Menstrual poverty is a key contributor to adolescent girls’ dropout from school and mass illiteracy rates. Liberia has an overall 65% menstrual poverty in rural areas and 35% in urban areas (LHDS 2015). Menstrual poverty prevalent among adolescent girls in Grand Bassa County is about 65-70 percent on the overall; sixty to seventy percent of adolescent girls lack access to improved sanitary pads, while 6 out of 10 girls resort to the use of rags, and other unhygienic material as sanitary pad. Social-economic inequalities and discriminatory practices have led to hundreds of girls staying away from school during their menstrual period or dropping out of school (Joyce Myers). Menstrual healthcare information, resources, and services are limited in scope, thereby contributing to mass menstrual poverty; traditional and religious beliefs discriminate against women and girls during their menstrual period. The study examined key SRHRs literature of diverse publishers as the basis for the investigation. The research’s primary objective was to explore the knowledge, attitudes, behavior, practices, and perceptions of adolescents, school administrators, parents, and caregivers toward sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHRs). The research focused primarily on understanding key challenges deterring adolescents from accessing and exercising SRHRs in schools in Grand Bassa County. The research used a multifaceted approach backed by digital-based questionnaire (ODK Collect), focus group discussions, and quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods. As for the quantitative component, a survey was conducted with 500 respondents, including adolescent girls and boys (13- 18 years), school administrators, and parents and guidance. A randomized sampling technique was performed, based on the population proportion of public schools in three out of five administrative districts in Grand Bassa County.
Mr. Joshua T. Flama works with Women Initiative for Self Help (WISH) as Program Coordinator. Prior to assuming the Office as Program Coordinator for WISH, Mr. Flama served several national and international non-governmental organizations, including the African Development Bank sponsored Smallholders Agricultural Productivity Enhancement and Commercial (SAPEC) Project as County Project Manager from 2015-2020; the project contributed livelihood opportunity creation, income generation and poverty eradication, and infrastructure development, he served the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) sponsored Agriculture Sector Reform Project (ASRP) as Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) Officer from 2011-2013. He also served with the ACDI/VOCAL as Farmers Business Organization (FBOs) facilitator from 2009- 2011. Mr. Flama holds membership to the National SRHR-FGM Consortium, the National Consortium to End Harmful Traditional Practices and End FGM Network Africa. Mr. Flama is a trained Rural Development Specialist, with emphasis in gender equity and social-economic empowerment. Mr. Flama holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agronomy from the University of Liberia. He is currently pursuing Master Degree in Regional Science at the University of Liberia. Mr. Flama holds a certificate in Project Planning and Management from the Liberia Institute of Public Administration (LIPA). He is married to Mrs. Leekpele W. Flama and the couple have two children.