๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฒ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฃ๐๐๐ญ ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐ซ๐ฌ (๐ ๐๐๐) ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฒ๐จ ๐๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐.
On the 7th of April 2025, representatives of Committed Soul Women Health Advocacy Africa Initiative (COSWOHI) led by Mr. Emmanuel Abidakun the Program Officer, paid a courtesy visit to the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) in Oyo State; to discuss critical issues surrounding Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR), and the post-abortion care (PAC) services in Nigeria.
The meeting aimed at fostering collaboration, advocating for an improved womenโs health policies, and strategizing on reducing maternal mortality linked to unsafe abortion practices.
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐:
1. ๐๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฌ (๐๐๐๐) ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐: The dialogue was centered on the persistent challenges that affects womenโs health and their reproductive rights in Nigeria. These include:
a. Limited access to comprehensive SRHR education and services, particularly in rural areas.
b. Cultural and religious barriers that hinder women and girls from making informed reproductive choices.
c. Policy gaps and weak implementation of existing laws that protect womenโs health rights. Both organizations emphasized the need for stronger legal frameworks and community sensitization to ensure women and girls can exercise their reproductive rights even without discrimination or harm.
2. ๐๐ฉ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ค๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ (๐๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐):๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ-๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ซ๐ (๐๐๐) ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ: A major highlight of the discussion was the alarming rate of deaths from unsafe abortions and inadequate post-abortion care in Nigeria. Key concerns raised were:
a. Lack of access to safe and legal abortion services, leading to risky self-induced procedures.
b. Stigmatization of women seeking abortion care, discouraging them from accessing medical help.
c. Insufficient healthcare facilities equipped to provide emergency PAC, resulting in preventable fatalities. FIDA Nigeria and COSWOHI agreed on the urgency of strengthening PAC services, training healthcare providers, and also advocating for the decriminalization of Post-abortion care in Oyo State to align with global best practices.
3. ๐๐ฉ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ค๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ (๐๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐): This meeting would also serve as a preparatory session for the Policy Makers to be engaged with policy briefs on improving SRHR and PAC in Oyo State. Key expectations from the engagement would include the followings:
a. Legislative reforms to protect womenโs health rights, including access to Post-abortion care services in both the primary healthcare, secondary healthcare and tertiary health facilities across the 11 local governments in Ibadan of Oyo State.
b. Partnerships with civil society organizations to monitor policy enforcement and quality service delivery.
In order to drive meaningful change, the engagement meeting will push to:
a. Jointly advocate for policy change recommendations through the Oyo State lawmakers.
b. Organize community awareness campaigns to reduce stigma around SRHR and PAC in Oyo State.
c. Engage the media to amplify the conversation on womenโs health rights.
d. Strengthen collaboration with health care providers, legal experts, and policymakers.
The courtesy visit also reinforced the shared commitment of Committed Soul Women Health Advocacy Africa Initiative and FIDA Nigeria towards advancing womenโs health, reproductive rights, and post-abortion care in Nigeria.
By leveraging legal advocacy, policy engagement, and grassroots mobilization; the organizations aims to reduce maternal mortality and ensure that Nigerian women have access to safe, dignified, and rights-based healthcare.
๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ; the upcoming policy makers engagement Meeting which is to hold on the 15th of April 2025, will present a crucial opportunity for these agendas to be pushed forward. And both groups remain optimistic about achieving tangible progress.