Women's Rights For Equal Reproductive Rights

Women have been identified as key players in the development of homes and societies, hence their inclusion in the sustainable development goals. Over the years, African traditional societies have been dictated by the institutional factors of the social norm, culture, and belief which do not place women in the equal fold with their men counterparts. Towards improving the reproductive health of women in Nigeria, the Nigeria government adopted the National Reproductive Health Policy and Strategic Plan of Action which identifies the reproductive needs of its citizenry in 2001. Despite these plans and actions to improve female health in Nigeria, different harmful practices such as early and child marriage, female genital mutilation, traditional birth practices and sexual violence that retard reproductive health and rights are in practice. Nigerian women face a distinctive social dilemma as they are not empowered to make decisions affecting their marriages and homes. They live in the shadow of their reproductive rights as they are not allowed to make decisions on their health, sexual life, and maternal issues. Issues related to childbearing are mostly determined by men who relegate women to the forceful acceptance of what they like the head (male counterpart) desires. This attitude makes the male counterpart to be in most cases the single determining factor of family issues. 

Although the need for child spacing has been introduced into the health care system in the country, the patriarchal culture of placing higher values on women who produce male children which are believed to promote the existence of a family lineage still propels having many children by women. Many women are not allowed to take contraceptives or any family planning method by their husbands for their belief in such women engaging in promiscuity. Infertility issues, on the other hand, are solely blamed on the women. Women are associated with challenges of coping with risks involved in reproductive health and mortality issues as they strive to cater to their children even in the midst of unemployment and high poverty level affecting homes. Decisions on sexual behavior are usually not allowed to be taken by married women as they are forced into sex or compelled/conditioned by their partners. Issues of early and teenage marriage abound with women in Nigeria, data from Nigerian Demographic Health Survey 2018 revealed that; more than four of ten Nigerian female get married before age eighteen and one out of five teenage female within age 15-19 are mothers/pregnant with a first or second child(ren). On age at first intercourse, gender imbalance is also reflected; most females had intercourse before age 17 while the male age at first intercourse is on the average of 21. 19% of women begin sexual activities before reaching age 15 while 57% begin sexual activities before age 18. Domestic and spousal violence affect women as they are not allowed to raise their voices at home or take decisions on their health and maternal issues. NDHS, 2018 report also revealed that more than one-third (36%) of ever-married women have experienced spousal violence, whether physical, sexual, or emotional by their current or most recent husband/partner. 

This paper examines the rights of women and their behaviors relatively to sexual act and childbearing in Nigeria. It examines factors determining female adoption of contraceptives and the association existing between high fertility rate, maternal mortality, and morbidity among women in Nigeria based on data from the Nigerian Demographic Health Survey (NDHS 2018) the report which is designed to provide data for monitoring the population and health situations in Nigeria. The data is sourced from a cross-sectional study with information on nationally selected samples which serve as a representative of a nation on both rural and urban zones. We consider the Couple Recode which provides relevant information such as individual’s demographic and social characteristic information on women health, beliefs from both husband and wife. Other variables including fertility, family planning methods, nutritional status of women and children, decisions on family planning /contraceptives, participation in household decisions, attitude towards wife beating, maternal and child health, childhood and adult mortality, domestic violence, female genital mutilation, and other adult health issues were also provided information on at a fair share of the national scope based on regional selections. Data analysis involves the use of logistic regression with the dependent variable determined by the female response on contraceptive currently using (Family Planning uses). 

This paper identifies the challenges of women on the use of contraceptives and other modern family planning methods for child spacing and delay in pregnancy which women adopt towards facing the challenges of reproductive rights in the country and proffer possible solution to its menace. Result revealed that despite Nigeria adoption of National Reproductive Health Policy and Strategic Plan of Action yet issues of Female Genital Mutilation, Safe Motherhood initiative, and Family planning Programmes have not received much-expected priority. Harmful traditional practices of female genital mutilation and the use of traditional birth remains very high with most women’s health being fully controlled by their husbands. The study concludes that universal access to reproductive rights is lacking in Nigeria; hence there is a need for renewed adult education, national orientation, family education and mobilization towards improving government efforts and support on reproductive health services to users which should be carried out through religious centres, homes, community gatherings, street advertisement, use of billboards, radio and television advertisements. Teenage pregnancy and early marriage should be discouraged through various health awareness programs/initiatives to be embarked on by media houses and religious centers. At the community level, mass discouragement of female genital mutilation must be enforced while the girl child education should be prioritized. The use of contraceptives should not only be encouraged among couples but should be made available and relatively affordable. Reproductive health workers and marriage counselors should be encouraged to extend their services into the nooks and crannies of Nigeria societies. Issues of female participation in labor and their empowerment must be addressed to enhance women's social security.