Health
NGO Seeks Media Collaboration On Ethical Reporting Of Reproductive Health Issues
By Moromoke Akanji
A non-governmental organisation (NGO), The Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Justice Advocacy Network (SJN), has called for collaboration with the media to promote ethical coverage and reportage of reproductive health issues in Nigeria.
The National Coordinator of SJN, Ms. Jerome Uneje, made the call during a one-day training for journalists and content creators on Rights-Based Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Reporting and Ethical Coverage of Reproductive Health Issues on Tuesday in Osogbo.
Uneje said the training was aimed at educating journalists on the national guidelines on the Safe Termination of Pregnancy (STOP) guidelines and promoting ethical, rights-based reporting of reproductive health issues.
She said the training was also designed to ensure that SRHR issues were reported through a human rights lens.
Uneje said that this was necessary to protect survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, including rape, incest, as well as those experiencing mental and physical health challenges.
Uneje urged journalists to protect survivors and adopt a rights-based approach in their reports by seeking informed consent without exerting pressure or using any form of coercion.
She said the guidelines were designed to promote access to safe termination of pregnancy for women who needed the service.
“This training is also to bring on board the media and journalists to assist in promoting this document so that healthcare providers and health practitioners can use it as a guideline on the procedure for safe termination of pregnancy,” she said.
Uneje added that the guidelines would also help to change public perceptions and discourage people from resorting to unsafe termination of pregnancy.
Also speaking, Mr Olufemi Olusola, a facilitator at the training, said SRHR referred to the right of every person to make informed decisions about their bodies, sexuality and reproductive lives.
Olusola said SRHR also provided information on comprehensive sexuality education applicable to all people, regardless of sex, age, disability, marital status or nationality.
He said the SJN initiative sought to domesticate the safe termination of pregnancy guidelines by ensuring that women understood their rights and that medical practitioners could provide appropriate care to survivors in line with the guidelines.
“The STOP guidelines are a document on legal indications that talks about the do’s and don’ts of pregnancy termination in Nigeria.
“The guidelines were also launched in September 2023 in the state,” he said.
Olusola encouraged survivors of rape, incest, sexual abuse and cases involving foetal abnormalities to seek medical care at government facilities for safe termination of pregnancy, where legally indicated.
“Many people believe that abortion is illegal in Nigeria. Because of this belief, they avoid government facilities.
“Consequently, they end up patronising unqualified practitioners, which can lead to various life-threatening complications,” he said.
Olusola said women with life-threatening medical conditions, including maternal heart and vascular diseases, kidney diseases, cancer and mental disorders, could seek medical advice on appropriate options, including termination of pregnancy where medically and legally indicated.
He added that medical practitioners could rely on the guidelines in appropriate circumstances to ensure that their actions were in line with the law.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that SJN is a coalition of seven member organisations comprising women’s rights groups, women-led enterprises, media practitioners and other key stakeholders.
The network works collaboratively to prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence, promote reproductive rights to reduce the high prevalence of maternal mortality, and advance access to justice for survivors across Nigeria.(NAN) www.nannews.ng
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Edited by Victor Adeoti