Over 150 women’s groups and representatives of Civil Society Organizations have appealed to the Lagos State Government to reinstate the suspension of the Guidelines on Safe Termination of Pregnancy for Legal Indications.
The groups have also requested that the guidelines should make provision for termination of pregnancy in cases of Incest, Rape and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
Led by the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), the groups highlighted the denial of safe abortion care to survivors of rape not only violates the right to health and privacy but may also infringe upon the prohibition of ill-treatment.
While speaking during a webinar themed ‘Safe termination of pregnancy for incest, rape and other diseases’, Dr. Abiola Akiyode, the Executive Director of WARDC noted that unsafe abortion remains a significant contributor to maternal deaths in Nigeria, constituting 10% of the global maternal death rate and standing as the second leading cause of maternal mortality in the country.
Dr. Akiode appealed to the Lagos State Government to prioritize women’s health, lives and rights and therefore restore the guidelines to safe abortion.
She said “international organizations, including the World Health Organization, International Federation of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians, Amnesty International, United Nations, and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, have consistently advocated for women’s right to decide on abortion. We firmly believe that women should have the autonomy to make choices about their bodies.
“We call on the Lagos State Government to reinstate the suspended Guidelines on Safe Termination of Pregnancy for Legal Indications. While we understand that various sentiments may surround this matter, we emphasize the importance of prioritizing women’s health, rights, and lives. The Guidelines were developed to save women from preventable deaths, and the suspension undermines this crucial objective.”
Also calling for the reinstatement of the guidelines, Dr Kehinde Okunade, the General Secretary and Project Coordinator for the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON) Lagos Sector, buttressed that the guidelines will serve as a tool for safe termination of pregnancy within the legal frameworks in circumstances whereby the continuation of such pregnancies threatened the life or mental health of the woman.
Dr Okunade noted that many women had risked their lives in a bid to terminate pregnancy from unskilled health practitioners.
For her part, Ngozi Nwosu-Juba, a human rights activist and the Project Director at Vision Spring Initiatives, said governments spend huge sums of money to correct safe abortions and save women’s lives.
She, however, noted that such funds can be diverted to ensuring that women and girls, especially rape and incest survivors, get unhindered access to safe abortion as well as to sexual and reproductive services to enhance their well-being.