A few days ago, a 12-year-old got her first period, and someone called her a woman. When a person gets their first period, something powerful happens, but not in the way society often frames it. For many communities, that first blood is interpreted as the end of childhood and the beginning of adulthood. Families may start to see them as ready for adult responsibilities, marriage, or motherhood. But biologically and socially, nothing could be further from the truth. that the body has begun a new stage of development. It is not an instant marker of maturity, and certainly not a license to strip a child of their rights, dignity, or freedom.
Biology and Misconceptions
Menarche, the medical term for the first period, is simply a sign that the body has begun a new stage of development. It is not an instant marker of maturity, and certainly not a license to strip a child of their rights, dignity, or freedom.
According to a study published in the journal Reproductive Health, many adolescents enter menarche without accurate knowledge, facing confusion, shame, and sometimes fear. Instead of receiving reassurance, many are told: “You’re an adult now. Behave like one.”
But are they? At 10, 11, or 12 years old, a person is still a child. Their brain, emotions, and body are still developing. To assign them the identity of “adult” based on menstruation alone is to burden them with expectations they cannot and should not carry.
When Childhood Is Cut Short
Equating the first period with adulthood has dangerous consequences. In many contexts, it fuels child marriage. Girls Not Brides notes that in some cultures, menarche signals a person’s “readiness” for marriage, even if they are barely in their teens. This practice denies education, autonomy, and often subjects young people to early pregnancy, which carries serious health risks.
Research shows that those who marry young face higher risks of obstetric complications, maternal mortality, and neonatal death. As one Girls Not Brides report on child marriage and health highlights, the combination of an underdeveloped body and the pressure to bear children can have devastating health impacts.
The stigma surrounding menstruation also undermines dignity in daily life. Many, particularly in low-income communities, lack access to pads, clean water, and safe toilets. This forces them to manage their periods in secrecy and shame, sometimes missing school for days each month. Education is not just interrupted, it is sometimes permanently ended because someone is deemed “too grown” for the classroom.
The Emotional Toll
Beyond health and education, the psychological toll of menstruation is profound. Imagine being 12 years old, told overnight that you are now an “adult,” suddenly burdened with new expectations, and often shamed into silence. In many societies, the onset of menstruation is not met with celebration or guidance, but with fear, stigma, and a sense of isolation.
Research from India shows that many adolescents experience anxiety, embarrassment, and even guilt when menarche is surrounded by secrecy and taboo rather than support. This is not unique to India, similar patterns exist across the world, including in Nigeria.
In Nigeria, cultural and religious beliefs often shape how menstruation is perceived. For many girls, their first period comes with little or no prior education. In fact, studies show that 82.6% of adolescent girls in Nigeria have poor knowledge of menstruation, and about 70% hold negative attitudes toward it. Instead of reassurance, many are met with restrictions being told not to cook, attend religious services, or even play with friends. This silence fuels confusion, fear, and shame.
The lack of access to menstrual products deepens this burden. An estimated number of Nigerian women and girls cannot afford or access sanitary pads, leaving many to resort to rags, tissue paper, or other unsafe alternatives. For schoolgirls, this often means missing classes or staying home entirely. According to UNICEF, about 23% of Nigerian adolescent girls have missed school because of menstruation, a loss that not only affects their education but also chips away at their self-esteem and confidence.
Even when girls have products, their environments are often not supportive. One in four Nigerian women lacks access to basic sanitation facilities such as clean water, private toilets, and safe disposal systems making menstrual management stressful and undignified. The constant fear of staining clothes or being mocked in class heightens anxiety, embarrassment, and withdrawal.
This loss of innocence is not inevitable, it is socially constructed. Menstruation does not rob a person of their dignity. Instead, it should be a moment of education, reassurance, and empowerment. When families, schools, and communities provide open conversations, accurate information, affordable products, and private facilities, menstruation becomes not a burden but a bridge and a chance to help young people understand their bodies with pride and confidence.
Empowering them with knowledge, safe menstrual products, and supportive environments not only protects their health but also nurtures their mental wellbeing and sense of self-worth. By reshaping cultural narratives, we have the opportunity to transform menstruation from a source of shame into a shared experience of strength and resilience.
Reclaiming Dignity
To protect dignity, societies must first separate menstruation from adulthood. Menarche should be acknowledged as a natural biological milestone, not a marker of adulthood.
- Education is key: Schools and families must provide accurate, age-appropriate information before the first period arrives. Young people should know what to expect, and boys and men should be included in these conversations to dismantle stigma.
- Health services must listen: Menstrual pain and disorders like endometriosis or PCOS should not be dismissed as “normal.” Adolescents deserve access to diagnosis and treatment, as emphasized in global reproductive health research.
- Infrastructure matters: Safe toilets, clean water, and affordable menstrual products are not luxuries, they are human rights. Without them, dignity is compromised.
What Needs to Change
- End child marriage: Enforce laws setting the minimum marriage age at 18 and challenge cultural narratives that link menstruation to marriageability.
- Make menstrual products accessible: Recognize pads, tampons, and cups as essential goods. Period poverty should never determine whether someone attends school.
- Break the silence: Parents, teachers, religious and community leaders must normalize conversations about menstruation. Silence breeds stigma.
- Protect childhood: Above all, remember that a first period does not erase a person’s right to remain a child.
A New Narrative
We need a new story. A story where the first period is not the end of childhood but simply a chapter within it. Where a person is celebrated for growing, not burdened with adult labels. Where dignity is preserved, rights are protected, and opportunities remain open.
They’re not adults because they had their first period.
They are still children, still deserving of freedom, education, and the chance to dream.
Written By: Victory Wekulom
Victory Wekulom is a writer and communications professional passionate about storytelling for social change. They currently serve as a Media and Communications Assistant at IGE-SRH and contribute to the community, where they use words to amplify gender justice, queer advocacy, and community voices. Their writing blends clarity, heart, and a deep commitment to centering underrepresented perspectives.
