“Women are not dying because of diseases we cannot treat. They
are dying because societies have yet to make the decision that their lives are
worth saving.”
-Mahmoud Fathalla, MD, PhD
(Ipas Board Member, Former President of FIGO).
What is Abortion?
According to World Health Organisation; “An abortion
is the discontinuation of a pregnancy before the attainment of viability.”
These can either be Spontaneous
(nature)/ Induced; Safe/ Unsafe or Complete or incomplete.
What is Unsafe
Abortion?
Unsafe abortion is defined as a procedure for
terminating unwanted pregnancy either by persons lacking the necessary skills
or in an environment lacking the minimal medical standards or both (WHO).
Heavy Toll (Consequences) Of Unsafe Abortion (especially in Nigeria)
·
Globally,
induced abortion results in 70,000 deaths. That is about 13% of maternal
mortality. Of the 42million induced abortions done annually, 95% occur in
developing countries including Nigeria.
·
On
the average, every African woman will experience at least one unsafe abortion
in her reproductive life time.
·
Maternal
mortality due to induced abortion is caused mainly due to complications
following unsafe abortion and 100 women die every day in Africa alone from
unsafe abortion.
·
Nigeria
is responsible for one-third (1/3) of deaths from Unsafe Abortion in Africa –
bringing the number of abortions that occur in Nigeria annually to 760,000.
·
Young
people contribute more than half of the 760,000 unsafe abortions taking place
annually in Nigeria.
·
By
the age of 18 years, over 60% of adolescents in Nigeria have had sexual
intercourse. First sex is often experimentation, and adolescents usually do not
take any protective measure. While 80% of adolescents and young people aged
15-24 do not use any form of contraception, the implication in usually unwanted
pregnancy, unsafe abortion, complications and death.
·
One
in four women (25%) having abortions in Nigeria experience serious
complications which are often-threatening. For support in handling post
abortion complication please go to any nearby hospital.
·
More
than 140,000 women are hospitalised for abortion complications in Nigeria and
only 9% (about one third of those with complications) seek treatment.
·
Up
to 10,000 maternal deaths annually in Nigeria due to unsafe abortions.
·
Only
44% of poor women, compared with 66% of non-poor women, procure abortion from a
medically trained professional.
·
Not
all unwanted pregnancies occur from promiscuity & dangerous behavior. Some
cases of unwanted pregnancies occur from rape, incest, child molestation and
women trafficking. More than 32,000 pregnancies result from rape every year.
·
Victims
of rape, incest & trafficking are forced to have the child + live with the
psychological trauma. Those who attempt to abort go to quacks because the
abortion law in Nigeria is too restrictive.
·
Rape
and other forms of sexual violence is rampant in Nigeria. Incest not often
reported but it happens. In both cases, the woman needs SUPPORT to make
INFORMED CHOICES.
·
Restriction
of Choices in unwanted pregnancies arising from RAPE and INCEST promotes Baby
Factories and child trafficking.
·
Giving
victims of rape & incest the power of choice is pro-life. Victims of sexual
violence, rape & incest should have access to safe legal abortion services.
·
Nigeria’s
abortion laws are pre-colonial (1861), out dated, and insensitive to maternal
health issues of today. The only legal
indication for abortion in Nigeria (Penal & Criminal codes) is to save the
woman’s life and to be done by ANY PERSON. Women who do not fall under this
indication like rape & incest victims, are left to their own devices. Unsafe
abortion is thus a silent & persistent pandemic affecting mostly the
economically weak.
·
Nigeria’s current abortion law allows ANY PERSON,
trained or untrained to legally perform abortion if it is to save a woman’s
life. Should Nigeria continue to use a COLONIAL ABORTION LAW that endangers
lives of women 54 years after independence? NO
·
Consequences
of unsafe abortion usually include infertility, chronic pelvic pain, loss of
uterus (hysterectomy), death, family disharmony, stigmatization and loss of
self esteem. There is a need to reform abortion laws in Nigeria to save lives.
·
Decriminalization
of abortion in pregnancies arising from RAPE and INCEST would save many lives.
The evidence is clear. If laws don’t change, thousands of women & girls
will continue to risk their lives & health each year.
How
To Help:
Join the conversation on social
network and advocate for the reform of our (Nigerian) abortion laws to empower victims of rape & incest to make
informed decisions. You too can add your voice to this campaign by following,
sharing and acting (positively) on the hash-tags:
#DoSomething #Choice4Life #PassVAPPBill on
social media networks.
In doing this, you can also
lend your voice by asking legislators (Senators) to support the passage of the
VAPP Bill into law which seeks to eradicate violence in
the public and private spaces. When passed into law, the bill will help to abolish
all obsolete laws relating to the subject matter such as rape, assault etc and bringing them into consonance
with present realities. The bill also makes
provision for the rights of victims of Sexual violence in accordance with the
provision of the Maputo Protocol “Every woman has the right to enjoy
reproductive rights including the right to medical abortion in cases of sexual
assault, rape, incest and where the continued pregnancy endangers the life or
the physical, mental, psychological or emotional health of the mother.”
Ask your legislators (Senators)
to support the passage of this bill into law.
Meanwhile,
YOU (Individual, Society and Government) can also #Dosomething by:
·
Informing youth about health promoting sexual and
reproductive behavior.
·
Raising awareness about sexual and reproductive
matters within your circle.
·
Increasing young people’s ability to communicate,
negotiate health promoting sexual and reproductive choices.
·
Increasing the ability to correctly access sexual
risk and to adopt appropriate protective actions.
·
Supporting the passage of the Violence Against
Persons Prohibition Bill (#VAPPBill)
·
Providing
sex education in all secondary schools and make contraceptive services more
accessible to young people.
·
Reforming
school policies so that school-age girls can return to school to complete their
education following the delivery of a baby. #Choice4Life
·
Helping to end the criminalization/stigmatization of
Abortion in situations that it may help to save lives.
·
Supporting the review of abortion laws to
accommodate victims of sexual violence (rape) & incest.
Thanks to Nigeria’s #Choice4Life Advocacy Team for compiling this statistics.