Canada partners NGO on reproductive health services for girls in Borno, Benue

Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation has announced its partnership with the Canadian government to provide access to sexual and reproductive health services for young girls and women in the country.

In a statement released on Friday, Ipas said the project will be implemented in Oyo, Benue, and Borno states within a four-year timeframe.

According to the statement, women and girls who are poor, young, unmarried, survivors of violence, displaced, and those living with disabilities will be prioritised.

The statement added that the project will focus on the specific communities within the states with the highest need to advance bodily autonomy, especially sexual and reproductive autonomy.

The $10 million (Canadian dollar) project supported by Global Affairs Canada will also be carried out in Bolivia and Indonesia.

This is to achieve the overall objective of increasing the sexual and reproductive autonomy of women by expanding their access to integrated services and enhancing their ability to make decisions about their own bodies.

Lucky Palmer, director of Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation, described the grant as timely, adding that the project will increase knowledge on unsafe abortion which is one of the leading causes of maternal death in the country

“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,” Palmer said.

“This grant will help increase knowledge around sexual and reproductive health and ensure women know where to seek care for complications of unsafe abortion.”

Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation will also work with a vast range of stakeholders, including the ministries of health, justice, women affairs and civil society organisations to implement gender-transformative interventions.