Legal practitioners and advocates in Nigeria are pushing for urgent reforms in the country’s legal framework on sexual and reproductive health rights, particularly regarding safe abortion.
The call comes amid rising cases of rape, incest, and teenage pregnancies, which often lead to severe health complications, unsafe abortions, and even death.
Madam Eliana Martins, Country Vice President of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria, highlighted the disturbing trend of rape, defilement, forced early marriages, and teenage pregnancies affecting vulnerable groups.
“We cannot pretend these issues are not happening because of culture. Many young girls are self-medicating and dying from illegal abortions, while others are being arrested and jailed. We need to have honest conversations and find practical legal and policy solutions,” Martins emphasized.
Dr. Abiola Afolabi of the Women Advocacy Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) stressed the need to address gaps in Nigeria’s abortion laws, especially in cases of rape and incest.
“Maternal mortality statistics in Nigeria are alarming, and many of the deaths are preventable. Our office alone recorded 13 cases of incest in the past six months. Yet the law is silent on what happens when survivors of incest or rape become pregnant,” Afolabi stated.
A draft bill proposes to broaden conditions for safe termination of pregnancy in Nigeria, allowing access within the first 12 weeks upon request and between 13 and 24 weeks in cases of rape, incest, or health risks.
“Countries that restrict abortion record higher cases of unsafe abortions. Where access is broadened, unsafe practices reduce. What we are trying to achieve is to balance morality, tradition and religion with the urgent need to protect women’s lives,” said Dr. Akiola Akintayo, Associate Professor of Human Rights and Criminal Justice at the University of Lagos.
