Chukwu Obinna 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) Africa has urged the Lagos State Government to reinstate its suspended guidelines on the safe termination of pregnancy, warning that the policy gap is costing women their lives.
Speaking in Abuja during World Abortion Day, WARDC founding director Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi said the suspension of the Safe Termination of Pregnancy (STOP) guidelines undermines women’s rights and fuels unsafe abortion practices.
“The suspension denies rape and incest survivors access to comprehensive services that are their right. It obstructs efforts to reduce preventable maternal deaths,” she said.
The World Health Organisation ranks unsafe abortion among the leading causes of maternal mortality globally. Nigeria contributes significantly to these preventable deaths.
Akiyode-Afolabi emphasised that access to safe abortion within legal limits is “a pathway to reclaiming bodily autonomy, mental health, and dignity.”
She urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to act swiftly, saying doctors need clarity to deliver care confidently and ensure post-abortion services are standardised.
“The law must prioritise women’s health and rights above politics or religion,” she stressed.
WARDC pledged to work with the Lagos State Government and stakeholders to ensure that women and girls in Nigeria can access safe reproductive health services without stigma or fear.
About the Author
Mirian Gom 
Hussaini Ibrahim 
