Stakeholders in the health and gender rights sectors have urged Ogun State to strengthen legal protections, scale up public awareness, and expand access to reproductive health services to curb rising cases of unsafe abortion and gender-based violence (GBV).
The call came during a high-level roundtable on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in Abeokuta, where policymakers, medical experts, and advocates examined the state’s Safe Termination of Pregnancy (STOP) Guidelines and broader measures to safeguard women and girls.
Founder of the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, noted that GBV remains a nationwide crisis, cutting across regions, religion, and class. She warned that Nigeria’s maternal mortality rate — one of the highest globally, ranking only behind India is worsened by preventable deaths linked to unsafe abortion.
“Every year, women and girls die unnecessarily from complications that could be avoided,” she said. “The Ogun State guidelines are a step forward, covering not just rape and incest, but also medical conditions such as cancer or diabetes that make pregnancy life-threatening. The task now is to ensure these guidelines are fully implemented.”
She also decried inadequate funding for sexual assault referral centres and limited police cooperation, stressing that without a coordinated response, survivors face further harm.
Representing the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Motunrayo Adeleye, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Adejumoke Adewole, said the state’s adoption of the STOP policy marked progress but must be backed by legislation.
“Legal backing would ensure that women and girls, particularly survivors of rape and incest, are not left to suffer in silence,” she said. “Our laws must reflect the reality that pregnancies from such violations inflict severe psychological and emotional trauma.”
Adewole called for urgent amendments to existing laws to protect victims who seek safe medical termination in such cases, adding that community sensitisation is vital to counter stigma and misinformation.
From the regional front, Senior Gender Equality Adviser at the Centre for Reproductive Rights in Nairobi, Kenya, Caroline Wambue, applauded Ogun’s leadership in interpreting national laws to develop the STOP Guidelines. She described the policy as a lifesaving tool that gives health workers clarity and confidence in delivering care without fear of prosecution.
“These guidelines save lives by reducing unsafe abortions,” she said. “We urge other states to follow Ogun’s example and call on Lagos to reinstate its suspended STOP Guidelines, which has created uncertainty for service providers and put women at risk.”
Medical experts also weighed in on the urgency of the issue. Gynecologist Dr. Olonode Luqman revealed that unsafe abortions account for roughly 13 percent of maternal deaths in Nigeria.
“Many women turn to untrained providers due to lack of access or fear of legal consequences. The result is often fatal complications,” he warned.
Participants at the meeting agreed that a multi-pronged approach combining legislation, public awareness, training for health providers, and survivor support services is critical to reducing maternal deaths and protecting the rights and dignity of women and girls in Ogun State and beyond.
