PROTECT WOMEN FROM DYING FROM UNSAFE ABORTIONS IN NIGERIA

Somewhere close to you, a young lady who has been gang-raped has just found out that she's pregnant from the abuse.

Somewhere close to you, a 12-year-old girl who is being sexually abused by her father or brother has just found out that she's pregnant from the abuse.

Both of them will very likely procure unsafe abortions out of shame. There is also a high possibility that they will die at the hands of these quacks.

These deaths are avoidable.

There is an increase in the reported cases of rape and incest in Lagos state and across Nigeria. Many of these rape and incest cases result in pregnancies. With Nigeria's restrictions on abortion, women and girls (minors) cannot access abortion services within the healthcare system. This situation leaves the rape and incest victims with no option but to resort to self-help and quack doctors, often leading to health complications and death. These deaths are avoidable.

On June 29, 2022, the Lagos State Government presented and launched the 40-page policy document titled 'Lagos State Guidelines on Safe Termination of Pregnancy for Legal Indicators' to set out guidelines for the safe termination of pregnancy within the ambit of the Criminal Law of Lagos State. Through painstaking work by experts in Law and in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, it has created an opportunity to reduce maternal mortality in line with existing laws. The Guidelines recognize the following legal indications; Obstetrics and Gynaecological Conditions, Heart and Vascular Diseases, Kidney Diseases, Cancers, Blood Diseases, Psychiatric and other Mental Disorders and other conditions.

It’s a guide to standardize and build capacity for medical professionals to save the lives of pregnant women whose pregnancy continuation is a danger to their lives and physical health. This outcome ensured that safe abortion services were available within legal indications in Lagos, also domesticating the Violence against Persons Prohibition Act, Section 38,  which supports victims of rape and sexual violence receiving comprehensive medical care. 

Unfortunately, the Lagos State Government on July 8, 2022 ordered the suspension of the 'State Guidelines on Safe Termination of Pregnancy for Legal Indications' issued by the Directorate of Family Health and Nutrition in the state's Ministry of Health. 

The denial of safe abortion care to survivors of rape violates the right to health and privacy as stipulated in the now repealed Guidelines and survivors of rape and incest are left to seek abortion services from quacks, leading to complications and death. We cannot continue to look on as women with ill-health, and victims of rape and incest continue to die from unsafe abortions. These girls and women are traumatized by their situation and should not be denied access to abortions to preserve their health and dignity.

If a child or woman who is dear to you was raped or was a victim of incest, they cannot access safe abortion in many states in Nigeria today. If a woman's health, and life, is in danger due to a pregnancy, she might not get access to safe abortion. 

What can you do?

Sign this petition and share it within your circles. Join us to say NO to avoidable deaths of women and girls in Nigeria

Join WARDC to demand the reinstatement of the Lagos State Guidelines on Safe Termination of Pregnancy for Legal Indications