Nigerian feminist groups are calling on the federal government and the Nigerian military to end allegations of forced abortions and killings of children by security forces in North East, Nigeria.
Leaders of the group, Chioma Agwuegbo, Fadekemi Akinfaderin, Dr Leena Koni Hoffmann, Ifeoma Ikwueme, Nana Nwachukwu, Lola Okolosie, Omolara Oriye and Buky Williams, who made the request in a statement, earlier in Abuja, also called on the government to abolish abortion. so that women can choose to continue the pregnancy or not.
The group believes that decriminalizing abortion will expand the grounds for terminating a pregnancy to include cases of rape and incest.
They also canvassed to strengthen the implementation of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act.
He demanded that a plan be drawn up to implement the recommendations made by the National Human Rights Commission, including accountability, and make the plan public.
Note that on December 7, 2022, Reuters reported that the Nigerian military is conducting a systematic mass abortion program in northeastern Nigeria.
Reuters later reported that military personnel had stabbed, poisoned and shot children, including infants and toddlers, because they were thought to be collaborating with armed groups or to have inherited the ‘impure’ blood of rebel fathers.
The statement read: “This Friday marks six weeks since Major General Irabor called the National Human Rights Commission to begin an investigation into these reports of forced abortions.
“We, Nigerian feminists, call on the National Human Rights Commission to make public its plan to continue this investigation, expand its mandate to look at the killing of children, and commit to doing it in a victim-friendly way.
“Guarantee no reprisals to survivors and witnesses of these human rights violations against women and children for speaking out and respect their continued anonymity.
“Work with existing service providers who support women linked to Boko Haram to extend comprehensive services to those who have undergone forced abortions.
“Recommend measures that ensure accountability for those who ordered these human rights violations against women and children, those responsible for carrying them out, and their commanders who knew what was happening but did nothing.”
It added: “Use a civilian-centric approach to end all human rights violations and ensure accountability for perpetrators, track and reduce civilian harm during operations and engage meaningfully with civilians – including women, youth, the disabled and others who usually not included in security.decision making.
“Many of the women involved have been abducted and raped by fighters and, just when they thought they had reached safety, given abortions without consent. Those who resisted were beaten, held at gunpoint, or thrown to be obeyed by soldiers.
“This program has been going on for years and through many administrations and changes in military leadership.
“These actions are based on a patriarchal ideology that puts women’s bodies under the control of men and sees the inevitable fate of children becoming like their fathers.
“The perpetration of violence is not a genetic inheritance. We affirm the human rights of children as provided in the Nigerian Child Rights Act, including the rights of children associated with armed groups under international law. They are victims and should be given care , support, and love to recover from trauma and build a future.
“We also affirm women’s right to bodily autonomy and to choose whether or not to have an abortion. This forced abortion shows a disregard for women’s health and well-being.
“In denying choice, they are a mirror to the criminalization and lack of access to safe abortion across the country.”