Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The Women Advocate Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) Africa, in commemorating the World Abortion Day, has appealed to the Lagos State Government to lift the suspension placed on the guidelines on Safe Termination of Pregnancy (STOP) for legal indications.

It said the current suspension of the STOP guidelines hinders the fundamental rights and endangers the lives of countless women.

According to a statement signed by WARDC Africa Founding Director, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, the guidelines on STOP were a landmark step towards standardizing the practice and building the capacity of medical personnel to provide safe care within the extant legal framework in Lagos State, especially where the continuation of a pregnancy threatens the life or physical/mental health of the woman.

She stressed that for women and girls who are survivors of rape and incest, access to safe termination of pregnancy is not merely a medical procedure but a pathway to reclaiming their bodily autonomy, mental health, and the right to a life of dignity free from the continuous trauma associated with a forced pregnancy.

“On this World Abortion Day, our plea to the Lagos State Government is simple: lift the suspension on the STOP guidelines immediately,” said Akiyode-Afolabi.

“Ensure the guidelines explicitly cater to survivors of rape and incest, recognizing the grave physical and psychological risks of forced pregnancy in such circumstances.

“Prioritize women’s health and rights over political or religious sentiments, recognizing that the guidelines are a public health imperative to curb preventable maternal deaths.

 “The suspension undermines the crucial objective of saving women from preventable deaths and denies victims of sexual and gender-based violence, like rape and incest survivors, the comprehensive medical services that are their right under the law, including the domestication of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act,” she added.

She noted that the current impasse leaves women vulnerable to unsafe procedures, which contributes significantly to Nigeria’s high maternal mortality rate.

Meanwhile, WARDC has also commended states within the federation that have demonstrated exemplary leadership by actively utilizing guidelines or taking steps to clarify and implement provisions that help women access their sexual and reproductive health rights within the legal provisions.

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