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The need for concerted effort towards educating men and women on the advantages of allowing women exercise economic and reproductive rights has been highlighted.
This formed part of recommendations by Professor Mahmud Adebayo of the Department of Private and Property Law, University of Ilorin, at the One hundred and sixty-fifth inaugural lecture of the institution titled “On the Reproductive Autonomy of My Right or Not My Choice”.
Professor Adebayo said the step will improve the quality of lives of women, their family and the whole society, as well as equip them with the right to govern their bodies and future without being met with discrimination, stigma and violence.
He noted that as part of their human rights, women can decide whether to become pregnant, see a doctor whenever the needs arise.
According to Professor Adebayo, understanding these rights will give women and the girl- child the ability to stand up for their rights in the society, improve on their lives in areas of sexuality, healthcare and how to resolve cases of unwanted pregnancy, especially in cases of rape and sexually transmitted diseases.
The Professor of Law also recommended a mandatory provision of government legislation on mental health services to protect women against disabilities arising from female genital mutilation and other harmful practices.
Prof. Mahmud Adebayo delivering lecture
“In order to effectively promote, protest and enforce women’s reproductive health rights, all international legislations and policies on women’s reproductive health should be articulated and harmonized into a single instrument and documented.
“All protocols, declarations, policies, and charters on women’s reproductive health rights, including the right to equality of life, liberty, security of persons, family planning, consent to marry, privacy, protection from discrimination, sexual violence, harmful traditional practices, cruel and inhuman degrading treatments should be domesticated and implemented in line with Section 12 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended),” he said.
Professor Mahmud Adebayo added that if the recommendations are accepted and put in proper perspective, they will promote the effectiveness of legislations on women’s bodily autonomy and reproductive rights.
By Sola Rotimi
