Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation has decried low access to contraceptives by Nigerian women and teenage girls and called for the implementation of existing policies to address the challenge.
The organisation’s Country Director, Lucky Palmer, who made the call during the National Project Inception Meeting on the “Increasing Sexual Reproductive Autonomy Among Women & Girls” project, on Thursday, November 16, in Abuja, said inadequate access to contraceptives and other violations of women’s sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR), contributed to the rising figure of maternal mortality in the country.
“Bodily autonomy, especially sexual and reproductive autonomy, is not a luxury; it is a fundamental human right. It demands that women and girls should have the power to make decisions over their sexual and reproductive choices, which should be free from all forms of discrimination, coercion, stigma, or violence.
“They should have the required self-efficacy and social support to seek health care when needed, to avoid delays that cause loss of life,” he said.
Palmer said the project aimed to provide more enlightenment for women about SRHR and break barriers that limit women and girls from aspiring to be active members of society.
“Right now, 31 per cent of all female deaths in Nigeria are linked directly or indirectly to issues around pregnancy complications; in the process of trying to give birth, another life is taken.
“A lot of these are preventable and treatable. Sometimes, the policies are there, but the health care providers are not even aware of the policies that empower them to provide treatment when the need arises,” Palmer said.
He encouraged other CSOs to engage communities and create awareness among them of their rights to bodily autonomy and access to contraceptives.
He also stated that over the next four years, the organisation would work with its partners in Oyo, Borno, Benue, and Lagos states to improve women and girls’ decision-making capacity and access to sexual reproductive health services towards achieving Sustainable development Goals 3 and 5.
According to a report by United Nations Women (UN Women), some progress is being made about women’s rights in Nigeria. However, issues persist with access to SRHR.
“Women of reproductive age (15-49 years) often face barriers with respect to their sexual and reproductive health and rights,” the report stated.
It also noted that only 35.6 per cent of women had their family planning needs satisfied with modern methods
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via [email protected] or @ije_le on Twitter.