World Abortion Day: WARDC Dey Beg Make Dem Bring Back Lagos Safe Abortion Law

Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre Africa don beg Lagos government make dem bring back di guidelines wey dem suspend for safe way to terminate pregnancy. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, wey be di founding director of WARDC Africa, talk for one interview wey she do on Monday for Abuja say to bring back di guidelines go help reduce di number of women wey dey die because of unsafe procedures. World Abortion Day na day wey people all over di world dey observe every September 28 to make people sabi more about unsafe abortion, wey, according to wetin di World Health Organisation talk, still be one of di main reason why many women dey die for way wey dem fit don prevent. Ms Akiyode-Afolabi talk say di policy dey very important to reduce how women dey die because of unsafe procedures and to protect di health rights of women and girls. According to wetin she talk, di current suspension of di STOP guidelines dey block people from enjoying dia correct rights and e dey put plenty women life for serious danger. Our beg to di Lagos state government na make dem just lift di suspension wey dem put for di STOP guidelines sharp sharp. Di guidelines wey concern how to do safe termination of pregnancy for legal reasons na big step wey go help set correct standard and build di capacity of medical people to give better and safe care inside di law wey dey ground for Lagos State. Di suspension dey spoil di main goal wey be to save women from deaths wey dem fit avoid, and e dey deny people wey don suffer sexual and gender-based violence like rape and incest survivors, di full medical help wey be dia right, na wetin Ms Akiyode-Afolabi talk.

Mr Akiyode-Afolabi yarn say for women and girls wey don survive rape and incest, to get access to safe termination of pregnancy no be just ordinary medical procedure. She talk say na one way for dem to take collect back control of dia body, mental health, and dia right to live life with dignity. Di WARDC madam still add say di law sef na like one tool wey fit help free victims from di never ending trauma wey dey come with pregnancy wey dem no choose. According to her, as e be so now, di wahala wey dey ground dey leave women open to unsafe procedures, wey dem talk say na one big reason why Nigeria get high number of women wey dey die during or after pregnancy. She beg Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu make him lift di suspension so that medical professionals fit do dia work with confidence under di law and fit set better standard for post abortion care. Di law go make sure say di guidelines clearly cover people wey don survive rape and incest, as e recognise say forced pregnancy for that kind condition fit cause serious wahala for body and mind. E go put women health and rights first before any political or religious feelings, because di guidelines na serious public health matter wey fit help stop women wey dey die for reasons wey dem fit avoid. WARDC still stand gidigba to work with Lagos state government and everybody wey concern to protect di human rights of women and girls for Nigeria, na wetin she talk. Mr. Akiyode-Afolabi thank di states wey don show correct leadership by dey use di guidelines well or dey take steps to make am clear and put am into action so that women fit get access to dia sexual and reproductive health rights under di law. She talk say all these better steps na very important to make sure say women rights dey respected and dia lives dey protected.