The Association of Alumni of the National Institute, AANI, and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grantee in Lagos State, working under the Partnership for Advocacy in child and family health at Scale, have called on the state government and other stakeholders to respond to fertility and demographic shifts by prioritizing the reproductive health rights of all people, including through their access to sexual and reproductive health information and services.
Other members of the group are the Challenge Initiatives, Society for Family Health, IntegratE, and the Development Outcomes.
The group made the call in Lagos as part of the commemoration of the World Population Day with the theme ‘Rights and Choices are the answer: Whether baby boom or bust, the solution lies in prioritizing the reproductive health and rights of all people,” addresses the challenges of women and girls in the context of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
This year’s commemoration focuses on ensuring understanding of the sexual and reproductive health needs and vulnerabilities of women and girls and, to underscore how safeguarding rights and choices are the best solutions to shifting demographics and ensure that sexual and reproductive health right and bodily autonomy stays on the agenda as we look towards 2030.
Project Director of the project in Lagos State, General Shina Ogunbiyi (rtd), said health systems should be supported to render sexual and reproductive health services during crises, including by increasing funding, employing technology, improving workforce, and classifying this work as essential.
In addressing fertility, responses should not be narrowed to fertility; demographic changes can offer opportunities and as such they must be addressed holistically.
He said that the Covid-19 pandemic is worsening the situation of women and girls, especially in fragile and low-income country contexts such as Nigeria, where health and social systems are already weak.
Mr Ogunbiyi added that in contemporary clime, programs to provide Sexual & Reproductive care are being sidelined and underfunded, leading to unplanned pregnancies, poor post-abortion care, increase incidence of sexually transmitted infections and invariably higher maternal & infant mortality and morbidity.
“In Lagos, the epicenter of the pandemic in Nigeria, compounded economic impacts have been felt especially by women and girls, who generally earn less, hold less secure jobs, and face a greater risk of losing their livelihoods or descending into poverty.
“Women have also faced an increased burden of unpaid care work, pushing many out of the workforce entirely. Women are also more prone to economic fragility during this period, and this has extensive implication on the socio-economic and sustainable development of the state.” He said
The group then called on government at the national and sub-national levels to address fertility issues, saying that responses to fertility issues should not be narrowed on fertility; demographic changes can offer opportunities and as such it must be addressed holistically.
They also called on government and community leaders to work to address major data gaps that limit our current understanding of the impact of COVID-19 on fertility. Timely and accurate information about births and deaths is needed for countries and states to understand their demographic shifts.
