NGO: Milestone Initiative Leads Advocacy on Abortion Reduction and Stigmatisation

A non-governmental organisation, Milestone Initiative for Human Rights and Empowerment (MIHRE), has come up to lead the advocacy on the need to curb unsafe abortions among women and youths.

It is also concerned to end stigmatisation of persons who commit abortions, while stressing the need to create a safe environment for sexual reproductive health and bodily autonomy in Nigeria to support women and girls’ access to quality, safe abortion care and contraception services.

The organisation made the advocacy during a one-day sensitisation training for media practitioners recently in Uyo.

Speaking during a paper presentation, the Executive Director of Milestone Initiative, Lady Uduak Nyaetok, maintained that unsafe abortion is one of the most significant and preventable causes of maternal death and injury in Nigeria, which has one of the world’s highest maternal death rates.

She added that abortion is illegal except to save the life of the woman, and procedures are often inaccessible even for women who need the abortion to survive, thereby forcing women to seek out clandestine and unsafe procedures to terminate an unwanted pregnancy.

Related: Unsafe Abortions In Nigeria: Shared Responsibility, Legal Reform, And The Urgent Need For SRHR

She noted that abortion stigma in Akwa Ibom State is deeply rooted in cultural, religious, and social norms, fostering fear, silence, and judgment around unintended pregnancy and abortion.

“Hence, women and girls are usually denied or discouraged from accessing essential sexual and reproductive health services, including safe abortion and post-abortion care, due to stigma within communities and healthcare settings,” she added.

Nyaetok expressed concern that young women and adolescent girls face increased health risks, psychological trauma, and violations of their fundamental human rights as a result of delayed care, unsafe practices, and social exclusion, which has become a factor that hinders survivors of sexual and gender-based violence from speaking up and seeking support or justice.

While hinting that the Akwa Ibom State Stop Guidelines has provided for a safe legal termination of pregnancy, the Executive Director assured that as an organisation that delivers health interventions in harm reduction, mental health and psychosocial support, and preventive healthcare across Akwa Ibom State, the Milestone Initiative for Human Rights and Empowerment (MIHRE) is committed to addressing sexual and reproductive health and rights challenges affecting women who use or inject drugs, as well as their partners, and children.

The event featured practical sessions on how to reduce abortion stigma through inclusion, support, and engagement.

Other resource persons who spoke during the event include Mr Emmanuel Akpaette, Mr Okposin Thompson and Miss Esther Asuquo.