By Oluwatoyin Mathnuel
The Chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Lagos State Chapter, Jumoke Falaye Johnson, has expressed strong support for a new advocacy initiative introduced by International Center for Poverty Allievation and Sustainable Development (CENPAD).
This collaboration was witnessed by women of substance in journalism at NAWOJ congress recently held at the NUJ secretariat, Alausa Ikeja.
The project seeks to establish dedicated information desks for female reproductive health in government hospitals. These desks will provide women with a safe space to share vital health information, which will, in turn, serve as a repository for healthcare providers, researchers, and pharmaceutical stakeholders to improve medical services for women.
Speaking on the initiative, Johnson emphasized that the project will ensure government interventions are more responsive to the unique healthcare needs of women, while also bridging critical gaps in reproductive health services.
CENPAD came to be due to the suspension of the Lagos state safe termination of pregnancy ( STOP) guidelines has left thousands of women and marginalized communities those with low income, underserved and crisis affected communities without clear legal or clinical pathways to access safe abortion care.
This gap deepens maternal health inequalities and contradicts both national law and international obligations.
CENPAD propose actionable recommendations to support a right based, gender – sensitive reinstatement and implementation of the STOP guidelines in Lagos state.
Ubani Arukwe, Project Lead CENPAD, highlighted the importance of partnering with NAWOJ to amplify the reach and impact of the campaign, ensuring that the voices and experiences of women are brought to the forefront of healthcare advocacy.
