Maternal mortality: Stakeholders call for abortion laws reform 

Health experts have urged a revision of abortion laws to reduce unsafe procedures and lower maternal mortality in the country.

They contend that current restrictions limit healthcare providers’ ability to serve women and prevent access to trained doctors.

The appeal came during a two‑day strategic training for journalists on women’s reproductive health and rights, hosted by the Trust and Support Foundation (TSF) and Amplify Change in Sango‑Ota, Ogun State.

Participants also called on state governments to adopt and enforce the Safe Termination of Pregnancies (STOP) guidelines, ensuring that girls and women can obtain safe medical abortion services even when their lives are not in immediate danger.

TSF Executive Director Mrs. Victoria Madukwen praised the Ogun State government for adopting the STOP guidelines and urged thorough implementation and wider awareness across the state.

She noted that the guidelines contain gaps, specifically excluding exemptions for rape, incest, gender‑based violence, and mental health, and called for their inclusion.

Madukwen argued that women deserve access to qualified healthcare workers for safe abortion care, rather than risking their lives with untrained providers whose procedures often lead to complications.

She highlighted that discussions about sexual and reproductive health, abortion, maternal health, gender‑based violence, and access to reproductive health information remain shrouded in silence, fear, and judgment in many communities. She urged journalists to use their platforms to change the narrative by reporting stories that foster understanding and protect women’s health.

“The media remains one of the most powerful tools for public awareness, social change, and accountability. The stories you tell, the language you use, the questions you ask, and the narratives you promote can either reinforce stigma and misinformation or open the door for compassion, evidence‑based discussion, and policy reform,” she said.

“Through accurate, ethical, balanced, and rights‑based reporting, you can help the public understand that reproductive health is not merely a private issue; it is a public health, human rights, and development issue,” she added.

She also noted that the training would deepen understanding of the Maputo Protocol, the STOP framework, state‑level SRHR advocacy efforts, and the importance of amplifying public and political support for laws and policies that protect the health and rights of women and girls.

Guest speaker Wemimo Adewunmi stated that full implementation of STOP by state governments would prevent avoidable deaths among women.

She urged journalists to adopt a rights‑based lens when reporting on sexual and reproductive health and rights issues to avoid further stigmatization and harm to victims.

“Journalists must be better equipped to challenge harmful narratives, avoid stigmatizing language, and promote evidence‑based information,” she said.