CSO decries low access to contraceptives by Nigerian women

Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation, a civil society organisation (CSO), has called for increased access to contraceptives among women in the country.

Lucky Palmer, the organisation’s country director, spoke on Tuesday in a statement to mark the annual “World Contraception Day”.

Palmer, who likened the low access to contraceptives to a democratic decision, noted that women should be able to have full autonomy over their bodies.

“Women’s body is not a democracy to be debated upon. Women should have their own rights to make a choice, it is not my responsibility or any other person to decide for a woman,” he said.

“After all when you are sick, you do not wait for someone to tell you to seek medical attention or you’re not denied access to healthcare because it’s your choice, therefore every woman should have the right to choose a contraceptive of their choice. Their body, their choice.

“In a world where reproductive health is deeply personal and unique to each individual, it is essential to recognise the significance of offering a diverse range of contraceptive options.

“It’s about more than just contraception; it’s about fostering autonomy, enabling informed decisions, and advancing global efforts toward reproductive health and family planning.”

According to a Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) report, only about one in every 10 (12%) women of reproductive age are currently using a modern method of family planning, while about two in every 10 (17%) are currently using any family planning method.

The modern method uses range from a low of two percent in states like Sokoto and Yobe to a high of 29 percent in Lagos, the report added.

Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation works to increase women’s access to essential reproductive health and family planning services.