Data from Nigeria’s Ministry of Health says the country accounts for about 512 maternal mortalities per 100,000 births — one of the worst in the world. Of this figure, death from unsafe abortions constitutes roughly 40%. A string of restrictive abortion laws in the country is forcing young girls to resort to crude methods to take out unplanned pregnancies.
The situation is ironic for a country that is a signatory to many international treaties and laws that protect women’s rights. If Nigeria wants to improve its health outcomes, it must provide women freedom over their bodies. One such way can be by changing the restrictive abortion laws.
The situation surrounding Nigeria’s abortion laws is ironic. The British colonial government instituted the current abortion laws in the 19th century. Well over 100 years later, the law still binds. Even more satirical is how abortion is unconditionally legal in the country that imposed the restrictive abortion laws in Nigeria…..
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