Advocates have shared ideas on how to effectively respond to the issues of sexual and reproductive rights, particularly concerning unsafe abortions, which have been linked to high maternal mortality rates in the country.
To address this issue, participants gathered for a-two-day Co-creation and Ideation workshop for women-led organisations and other stakeholders focused on policy advocacy in Lagos.
Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Founding Director, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, WARDC, emphasised the necessity of the event, which was conducted in both in-person and hybrid formats, in collaboration with AmplifyChange, an international organisation.
Dr. Akiyode-Afolabi stated that unsafe abortion should be regarded as a national emergency.
She called for legal and policy reforms to tackle reproductive health issues. She said, “It’s important for the government to take the issue of unsafe abortion very seriously. The indicators clearly show a high number of deaths resulting from unsafe abortions. Steps need to be taken to address this problem through legal and policy reforms. Some states have already made progress. States like Anambra, Ogun, Jigawa, Osun, and Gombe have taken important steps. Nigeria must recognise this as a national emergency.”
She further noted the urgent need to address the high rate of unsafe abortions, particularly among teenagers and adolescents, stating, “This is not something the government can overlook. It significantly contributes to the high mortality rate in Nigeria, which is second only to India. The government must take action.”
The facilitator of the event highlighted the necessary steps the country must take to ensure that individuals can enjoy their sexual and health rights without experiencing injustice.
Professor Azubuike Onyebuchi, Secretary-General of the Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria, SOGON, explained, “We are always at the forefront of advocating for and designing policies that protect women’s health and rights.”
He commended the efforts of lawyers, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders working to ensure women have access to quality healthcare and support.
He pledged, “We will do everything possible to reduce maternal mortality in Nigeria.”
Discussing the current abortion laws in Nigeria, Professor Onyebuchi noted, “The laws are quite restrictive. Even in cases of rape or incest, women do not have the right to terminate those pregnancies. Currently, the law allows termination only to save the woman’s life. There is a call to liberalise the law to accommodate rape and incest victims, allowing medical practitioners to safely terminate such pregnancies. If we fail to do so, these procedures will go underground, leading to unqualified individuals performing unsafe abortions, which will increase maternal mortality and other health complications.”
He urged the government to take the lead by introducing an executive bill to the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly to update these outdated laws that negatively impact the safety of women.
He emphasised, “If we look at the health indicators from Abia State, we can see the impact of these issues.”
He stressed the importance of increasing funding for health initiatives and ensuring proper accountability in its use, stating, “If funding is increased and accounted for—not embezzled—then we can achieve significant improvements in women’s health and safety.”
Peace Etubo, Senior Program Officer, WARDC, highlighted that Nigeria has one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally.
She pointed out that Nigeria is a signatory to the Maputo Protocol and the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, which aim to improve health outcomes by 2030. However, as 2030 approaches, it does not appear that Nigeria will meet these goals without concerted efforts.
She concluded, “It is crucial to hold this workshop for organisations working in this area to collaboratively develop ideas for advocating policies aimed at reducing maternal mortality in Nigeria. We must advocate for provisions that allow rape victims and victims of incest access to safe termination of pregnancy, as the psychological effects on these individuals can be devastating and may even lead to suicide. We cannot shy away from addressing these realities.”