Reproductive Health Rights: All or Nothing
“How am I going to get through this?”
When Phyna asked me this, I wasn’t sure how to answer. She was sitting across from me, her eyes heavy with tears that ran down her face, telling a story of defeat, disappointment, pain, and a looming decision.
“Ness, I’m not prepared to keep this baby. I did everything right, I wasn’t careless, we weren’t careless,” she repeated those words like a magic phrase that could make everything go away.
When she asked me what to do, I froze for a minute. We were in a city where buying condoms would attract judgmental stares and unsolicited advice. I considered suggesting that she travel to a different state where it’s easier to find comprehensive reproductive healthcare services while I scrolled through my phone looking for a contact that could help, but found none. I was supposed to be the friend who knew what to do, who worked with a women’s rights-focused non-profit organisation, championed abortion as a human right, and knew where women could access sexual and reproductive health services. But there I was, unable to do anything but hold my friend’s hands and say, “It’ll be okay.”
For many women like Phyna, the only information available comes from unreliable sources, often perpetuating myths and misconceptions that can lead to unsafe decisions. The unavailability of reliable information and accessible services drives women into the shadows, where they risk their lives with unsafe procedures performed by untrained individuals. Phyna’s situation is the plight of many young girls in Nigeria who end up getting unsafe abortions due to a lack of access to accurate information and safe services.
Access to information and services on abortion and reproductive health rights is an essential component of ensuring the well-being and reinforcing the autonomy of women. The human right to respect for private and family life includes a right to access safe and legal abortions. However, in many countries, including Nigeria, access to accurate information and comprehensive reproductive health services remains limited. This information gap is fueled by the socio-cultural and religious context, as well as the institutionalisation of restrictive reproductive health laws. The shared understanding that abortion is morally wrong and/or socially unacceptable, also known as abortion stigma, strongly shapes people’s attitudes towards abortion. This stigma cuts across service provider attitudes and public opinion. The National Guidelines on Safe Termination of Pregnancy for Legal Implications clearly state that abortion is illegal unless done to save the life of the mother. It also criminalises abortion with a penalty for both the woman and the personnel performing the abortion procedure. If caught, those who violate the law risk a 7-year (the patient) or a 14-year (the performer) jail term. This further narrows access to safe abortion services and highlights the urgent need for comprehensive sexual education and the reform of restrictive abortion laws.
We must work tirelessly to bridge the information gap, provide support, and ensure that every woman can make informed decisions about her body and her future, without stigma or penalization. Access to reproductive health information and services can be the lifeline that saves a woman’s life, giving her back her agency, and allowing her to navigate her path on her terms.
PS: Names used in this piece were changed for anonymity
