Ipas Celebrates African Women’s Day

Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation has joined the rest of the world to commemorate African Women’s Day to honour women and girls in the continent.

Country Director Ipas Nigeria, Lucky Plamer in a release made available to newsmen noted that the country is faced with  high incidences of sexual and Gender Based Violence, SGBV, which sometimes results in unwanted pregnancies, leading to unsafe abortions, thereby contributing to the already high maternal mortality rate in the country.

Plamer said Ipas Nigeria is committed to ending unsafe abortions, SGBV and providing unhindered access to contraceptives, putting the country at the forefront as advocated for reproductive justice.

“Through our work at the National and State Levels we advocate for policies and law reforms that promote women’s right and challenge harmful social norms in the communities that act as barriers to women and girls access to comprehensive sexual reproductive health services”.

Ipas however called government in Nigeria and across Africa to prioritize the lives and well being of women and girls.
“We believe that domesticating the Maputo protocol will ensure that all barriers inhibiting women and girls in Nigeria from exercising their rights to bodily autonomy are removed”.

The organization congratulated the Pan-African Women’s Organisation, PAWO, on her 60th anniversary as its appreciated the important role in mobilizing African Women on the continent and the Diaspora to rally around collective struggles for a free and prosperous Africa.

The Theme for this year is “Towards the African Women’s Decade: Realizing Women’s Human Capital through accelerated social and economic development, addressing the scourge of violence, food insecurity and good nutrition on the African continent”.