Nation
GEDIN urges Ogun assembly to amend abortion law to protect rape victims
A gender-based group, Gender Development Initiative (GEDIN) has appealed to the State Ogun House of Assembly on the need to amend restrictive abortion laws to protect victims of rape, incest, and those with underlining medical conditions.
Leading the team to an engagement with the Assembly is the Executive Director of GEDIN, Prof. Olubunmi Ashimolowo, saying that, unsafe abortion remained a leading cause of maternal deaths, despite one of the most preventable public health crises.
Prof. Ashimolowo explained that the need for safe abortion was not dangerous, but the restriction on abortion forced a lot of victims into secrecy, unsafe procedures, and unqualified hands.
“The impact is not just on individual lives, it overburdens our healthcare system, weakens our economy, and ultimately holds back our State’s development.
“Today, I will present concrete evidence on how unsafe abortion contributes to maternal deaths in Ogun State; the economic burden it places on families, hospitals, and our government,” she said.
She revealed that, according to global statistics “unsafe abortions account for 13 percent of maternal deaths globally, with the majority occurring in developing countries”, noting that the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated 45 percent of all abortions were unsafe, and responsible for 13 percent of maternal deaths
“In Africa, nearly half of all abortions were performed under the least safe conditions, leading to severe complications.
“Here in Nigeria, unsafe abortion accounts for 10-15 percent of maternal deaths.
“The maternal mortality rate in Nigeria is 512 deaths per 100,000 live births, one of the highest in the world”, she remarked.
She noted that South Africa’s choice of the Termination of Pregnancy Act (1996)
Legalized abortion services; while strengthening its reproductive healthcare, resulting in the reduction of maternal mortality by 91 percent within the first decade of implementation.
She added that the policy led to increased women’s workforce participation, boosting national economic growth.
Responding, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, admonished the group to extend its advocacy to the National Assembly, as the restrictive abortion law is on the exclusive list, promising that the State House of Assembly would assist in giving necessary legislative backing in protecting genuine victims of rape and other vulnerable people.
Earlier in his remarks, the Minority Leader noted that all the relevant sections of the criminal code and penal code being operated in the country would require amendments to cater to the group’s .