Left to right Chioma Okoye ( Health, Wellness and Finance management Coach) , Charles Christopher( IRISE Program Associate) , DSVA Staff, Omodele Ibitoye Ejeh( Executive director IRISE) , Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi (Executive Secretary, coordinator of the Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT)
Initiative to Resist Institutional Slavery and Exploitation (IRISE) has expressed the urgent need for the reinstatement of the Safe Termination Of Pregnancy guidelines
In a press release signed by the Director, IRISE, Nigeria, Omodele Ibitoye Ejeh, the group justified their request adding that Women in Nigeria have continued to face multiple barriers including legal restrictions.
She said, “Women in Nigeria continue to face multiple barriers including legal restrictions, pervasive stigma, misinformation, and limited resources that undermine access to safe reproductive health services.”
She added that evidence from a recent needs assessment in Ilasa and Okota, Lagos, showed that over 55% of providers experience significant stigma and that only 70% have received formal training (with refresher courses being rare). “In parallel, the advocacy strategy for Oshodi-Isolo highlights the need to reform restrictive legal frameworks and promote comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education,” Ejeh added.
The group through their director made recommendations as a way of proposing an integrated, evidence-informed roadmap for Strengthening Community Engagement for Women’s Reproductive Rights; Legal reform and enhanced support for safe abortion services, and improved training for health workers and targeted SRH education initiatives.
Ejeh stated that by aligning these strategies, decision-makers can reduce unsafe abortion practices, empower healthcare providers, and enhance women’s reproductive rights across Nigeria.
According to what they called Key Policy Options and Messages, the group called for Institutionalized Community Dialogues by regular, multi-stakeholder forums to address misinformation and stigma; enhancing training and integration which would expand comprehensive training for health workers and integrate them into the formal healthcare system; upgrading infrastructure and resources: improving supply chains for essential medications and upgrading facility conditions.
Other proposals include reforming restrictive laws by amending legal frameworks to align with international human rights and public health standards; strengthening legal support by developing legal toolkits and conducting sensitization workshops for law enforcement and judiciary, and promoting comprehensive SRH Education by integrating culturally sensitive reproductive health education in schools and community settings.
Discussing how they arrive at their proposals, the group said their policy brief was developed through a synthesis of quantitative and qualitative evidence from multiple sources. The primary data were derived from key-informant interviews on unsafe abortion practices and a needs assessment of healthcare providers in Ilasa and Okota, Lagos, complemented by the IRISE Advocacy Strategy for Oshodi-Isolo. Methods included stakeholder consultations, resource and infrastructure assessments, and legal framework analyses. These methods ensured that policy options were evidence-based and reflective of local challenges and opportunities.
Further important considerations include implementation and monitoring by Establishing clear timelines, responsible agencies, and monitoring indicators for each policy option, they stated that regular evaluations should measure progress in reducing stigma, improving service quality, and reforming legal barriers; and capacity building adding that ongoing capacity building for health providers, legal practitioners, and educators are essential for sustained impact.
Others include advocacy and public engagement by continuous community sensitization and targeted media campaigns which are critical to addressing cultural resistance and ensuring policy acceptance, and Sustainability. This will encourage local ownership by transitioning responsibilities to local institutions over time and securing multi-year funding commitments.
The policy brief, according to the group, was developed with input from IRISE NGO, health providers from Ilasa and Okota, and advocacy teams in Oshodi-Isolo. The group also expressed special thanks to the teams that conducted the needs assessment and the policymakers who would ensure these policies are implemented.
Conflicts of Interest, The authors declare no conflicts of interest. All recommendations are based solely on evidence from local assessments and stakeholder consultations.
Sources of Evidence and Key References, Analysis Report of Needs Assessment of Health Providers on Safe Termination Services in Ilasa and Okota, Lagos, Report on key informant interview findings from survey on SRHR and unsafe abortion practices in Oshodi-Isolo communities.
According to IRISE, the document presents a unified approach to enhancing women’s reproductive health and safe abortion services in Nigeria. By integrating community engagement, legal reform, capacity building, and education, the proposed policy options aim to foster an environment where informed, safe reproductive health choices are accessible to all women to save a woman or girl from injuries and death from unsafe practices.
