Adesina Adefolaha
Ogun state has a population projection of about 7,048,223 citizens. Interestingly too, Ogun State has the largest number of higher institutions with twenty universities out of the 262 Universities in the country domiciled in the state.
By implication, this gives a situation where we have many sexually active girls. Unfortunately, the law of the land has not made procurement of abortion legal. This, has no doubt make many young girls and women to procure abortion in unsafe hands of quacks.
With the background given above, unfortunately, most of our young girls have limited access to safe abortion services leading to unsafe abortions.
Considered as significant obstacles to safe abortion in Ogun State include but not limited to: Restrictive laws which considers abortion as illegal with exception to saving the life of the mother. Unfortunately, this has fuel the clandestine and unsafe procedures.
Limited access to medical care especially in our rural areas.
High costs of safe abortion services which has made young girls and women to look for a more cheaper and unsafe options. Poor awareness of reproductive rights. Good enough in 2023, Ogun State Government has been able to come up with a guidelines on the Safe Termination of Pregnancies (STOP) with its objectives amongst others to guide medical personnel and our young girls and women in carrying out safe termination of pregnancies especially when it is the type that threatens the life of the woman or pregnancies occurring due to incest.
Against the high rate of rape, defilement and other domestic abuse, addressing the issue of reproductive rights in Ogun State, the state government through the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP) has increased its sexual assault referral centres from one at Sagamu to four.
The first being the model one at OOUTH, Sagamu with other towns of Abeokuta, Sagamu and Ilaro having new SARC centres. It is expected that these SARC will address the purpose which they were set up.
Addressing the challenges and gaps highlighted above, it is gratifying to note the various efforts of Civil Society groups like the Gender Development Initiative (GENDI), Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), Centre for Community Health and Development Initiative (CCHDI), Community Education Advancement of Peace and Development Initiative (CEAPDI) and several other Civil Society groups that have stood up campaigning and advocating for policy and legislative reforms on Sexual and Reproductive rights of girls and women in Ogun State.
These has been done by carrying out market sensitisation and through many legislative boot camps, legislative parley, town hall meetings, engagement with community leaders, media groups, youth groups, focus group discussions and engagement with policy makers which had yielded a draft policy to be presented to the House of Assembly.
Despite all these giant moves by the Civil Society groups, the issue of the Penal Code and criminal code are under the constitution which have as sanctions 14 years imprisonment for anyone providing or incurring abortion.
This, still makes women to seek unsafe abortion risking their health and life leading to high mortality rate in the state. All efforts to reform the two laws are still facing high level of cultural and religious opposition.
Adefolahan,is the Executive Director, Community Education Advancement of Peace and Development Initiative (CEAPDI)
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