The Oloruba of Oruba-Ota, Aworiland, Oba Wadudu Ajani Eniade Deinde, has thrown his weight behind the legalisation of the Safe Termination of Pregnancy bill, calling on the Ogun State House of Assembly to pass the bill into law.
The monarch made the appeal during an advocacy visit to his palace by a women’s advocacy group, Trust and Support Foundation, led by its Executive Director, Mrs Victoria Madukwem, at Ota, Ogun State.
Oba Deinde pleaded with the state Assembly to quickly pass the bill into law for the safety and benefits of women and young girls who are victims of rape and incest, noting that the bill would reduce unsafe abortion being perpetrated by married women and girls who have experienced gender-based violence.
“Unsafe abortion contributes to a significant proportion of maternal mortality and morbidity in Nigeria, and the current laws, which criminalise abortion in Nigeria, do not reduce the number of abortions. Instead, these strict laws mean that many women are forced to seek the service of unqualified practitioners with resultant high morbidity and mortality,” the monarch said.
“Both of which are an unacceptable price to pay for pregnancy. While debates over the right of the mother to her privacy and body and the rights of the foetus to life rage on, women in Nigeria continue to suffer the consequences of restrictive abortion laws.”
In her submission, the Executive Director of TSF, Mrs Madukwem, said the reforming policy initiative would help control and regulate preventable deaths of women who lose their lives due to conditions that make the continuation of pregnancy risky.
She stressed that the state does not legalise abortion but provides standardised medical services for women in legally recognised situations such as rape, incest, cancer and severe hypertension, among others.
“In certain cases where a pregnancy cannot safely continue, access to appropriate medical care becomes necessary, describing unsafe termination of pregnancy as one of the most preventable causes of death, yet one that continues to endanger the lives and futures of vulnerable women and girls,” she said.
Madukwem stated that pregnancy termination could be legally performed in cases where it poses a danger to the mother’s life or physical health, including instances of rape, incest and certain medical conditions. She emphasised that such procedures must be carried out by qualified health professionals in safe and hygienic conditions, upholding women’s rights to make informed decisions about their reproductive health without fear of repercussions or stigma.
Also speaking at the programme, the Secretary of the group, Mr Olufemi Olusola, expressed appreciation to the state government, the state Assembly and other stakeholders for the opportunity to support the initiative. He reaffirmed TSF’s commitment to partnering with the state to reduce maternal mortality and improve reproductive health outcomes.
