Accelerating Community Commitment to Expand Sexual and Reproductive Health Services for Women and Girls in Oyo State: Highlights from the ACCESS Project Public Hearing

PLAN Foundation Report On the Public Hearing on Accelerating Community Commitment Towards Expanding Sexual and Reproductive Health Services for Women and Girls in Oyo State (ACCESS Project)

REPORT ON THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ACCELERATING COMMUNITY COMMITMENT TOWARDS EXPANDING SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS IN OYO STATE (ACCESS PROJECT)
FUNDED BY: AMPLIFYCHANGE
DATE: WEDNESDAY, 24 JUNE 2026
VENUE: OYO STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

Public Hearing on the Oyo State Unplanned Pregnancy and Unsafe Abortion (Prevention and Regulation) Bill, 2025

Introduction

On Wednesday, 24 June 2026, PLAN Health Advocacy and Development Foundation recorded a significant milestone through its participation in the Public Hearing on the Oyo State Unplanned Pregnancy and Unsafe Abortion (Prevention and Regulation) Bill, 2025, held at the Oyo State House of Assembly.

The public hearing marked an important step towards strengthening sexual and reproductive health policies in Oyo State by promoting access to quality reproductive health services and safeguarding the health, rights, and well-being of women and girls. The event also reflected the progress made through the ACCESS Project (Accelerating Community Commitment Towards Expanding Sexual and Reproductive Health Services for Women and Girls in Oyo State), generously supported by AmplifyChange.

The hearing brought together over 70 stakeholders from the Oyo State Ministries of Health, Justice, Education, and Women Affairs; legislators; religious leaders; development partners; professional associations; academic institutions; civil society organizations; organizations of persons with disabilities; youth groups; and the World Health Organization (WHO). Their collective contributions enriched the deliberations and strengthened the proposed legislation.

Opening Remarks

The Chairman of the Oyo State House of Assembly Committee on Health, Hon. Rilwan Gbadamosi Saminu, gave the opening remark, where he described unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortion as major public health concerns affecting families and communities across the state.

He noted that many young girls and women experience unintended pregnancies that negatively impact their education, careers, family life, and future aspirations. He emphasized that the proposed bill seeks to establish a comprehensive framework for prevention, awareness creation, education, counselling, support services, regulation, and monitoring mechanisms aimed at reducing unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortion.

Hon. Saminu reaffirmed the commitment of the House of Assembly to carefully consider all stakeholder perspectives in order to enact legislation that promotes public health, protects lives, and strengthens family and community values.

Overview of The Proposed Bill

Providing an overview of the bill, Mr Sodiq Olayanju, Clerk of the House Committee on Health, clarified that the legislation is not intended to legalise abortion but rather to address the public health consequences associated with unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortion.

He explained that the bill seeks to

Prevent unintended pregnancies through comprehensive sexuality education.
Improve access to counselling and reproductive health information.
Strengthen awareness campaigns and family planning education.
Provide safeguards through informed consent and confidentiality.
Ensure appropriate medical oversight.
Protect minors and survivors of sexual violence through specialised support services.

He further noted that the public hearing created an opportunity for stakeholders to shape legislation that balances public health priorities, human dignity, and the welfare of the people of Oyo State.

The Chairperson of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Community Development, Hon. Olufunke Olajide, also gave a welcome speech where she highlighted that unintended pregnancy extends beyond health concerns, affecting education, economic opportunities, emotional well-being, family stability, and community development.

She described the proposed legislation as an opportunity to strengthen prevention strategies, awareness creation, support systems, protection for vulnerable persons, and responsible reproductive health choices.

Key Stakeholder Contributions

Oyo State Ministry of Health

The Permanent Secretary, Dr Akintunde Ayinde, recommended several amendments to strengthen the bill and facilitate effective implementation. His recommendations included:

Renaming the bill to reflect a broader reproductive and maternal health focus.
Replacing the term “unplanned pregnancy” with “unintended pregnancy”.
Defining gestational limits and emergency exceptions.
Aligning the legislation with the National Guidelines on Legal Termination of Pregnancy.
Strengthening child protection measures.
Providing clearer definitions of key terms.
Supporting mandatory reporting of rape and sexual abuse cases.

Ministry of Justice

The Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Mrs Olubunmi Awe, supported replacing the term “unplanned pregnancy” with “unintended pregnancy”, noting that it more accurately reflects circumstances such as rape, incest, reproductive exploitation, and contraceptive failure.

She also recommended harmonising the bill with existing state laws and policies while advocating for sustainable funding to support survivors of sexual violence and ensure effective implementation.

PLAN Foundation’s Position

The Executive Director of PLAN Health Advocacy and Development Foundation, Mr. Obatunde Oladapo, urged lawmakers to give favourable consideration to the bill, describing it as a critical public health intervention that would protect women and girls from preventable health risks.

He emphasised that the legislation presents an opportunity for Oyo State to proactively address reproductive health challenges while advocating for the following:

Sustainable funding;
Stronger institutional support for gender-based violence and reproductive health programmes; and
Integration of the proposed law with existing support systems.

Contributions from Development Partners and Civil Society

The Executive Director of the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), Dr Abiola Akinyode-Afolabi, expressed strong support for the proposed legislation, describing it as a progressive, rights-based public health intervention. She noted that women already experience unintended pregnancies and often resort to unsafe procedures, making a regulated framework essential for protecting lives.

According to her, the bill would:

Reduce maternal deaths associated with unsafe abortion.
Promote women’s health, human rights, and social justice.
Address inequalities in access to reproductive healthcare. Strengthen prevention through comprehensive reproductive health education and counselling.
Improve accountability through effective oversight mechanisms.
She urged lawmakers to pass the bill, noting that it would position Oyo State as a leader in advancing women’s health and rights.

Stakeholder Support

Representatives from various religious bodies, including both Muslim and Christian leaders, made valuable contributions during the public hearing. While offering recommendations, they acknowledged the importance of addressing the growing challenges of unintended pregnancy and unsafe abortion and expressed support for the proposed bill as a timely initiative to safeguard the health and well-being of women and girls.

Other stakeholders who expressed support included representatives from the Ministry of Women Affairs, the World Health Organization (WHO), and several civil society organisations, including the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN), the Association of Youths with HIV, and organisations representing persons with disabilities.

Speaking on behalf of persons with disabilities, Mrs Roseline Oniyide, Executive Director of Light Hub for the Blind, stressed the importance of ensuring that implementation of the proposed legislation remains inclusive and accessible to all persons, regardless of disability status.

Outcome

The public hearing successfully provided a platform for broad stakeholder engagement and constructive dialogue. Participants made valuable recommendations aimed at strengthening the bill and ensuring that it effectively responds to the realities faced by women, girls, families, and communities across Oyo State.

The discussions demonstrated a strong consensus on the need to prioritise prevention, education, counselling, survivor support, accountability, and equitable access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services.

At the close of the public hearing, the Clerk of the Oyo State House of Assembly, on behalf of the Rt. Hon. Speaker, the leadership of the House, and the Joint Committee on Health and Women Affairs and Community Development, expressed sincere appreciation to all participants for their active engagement and valuable contributions throughout the deliberations.

The Clerk acknowledged the commitment of government ministries, departments and agencies, professional bodies, development partners, civil society organisations, traditional and religious institutions, women and youth groups, the media, and other stakeholders whose written memoranda, presentations, and recommendations enriched the legislative process.

Special appreciation was extended to PLAN Health Advocacy and Development Foundation for its unwavering technical support, partnership, and commitment throughout the development of the bill. The House recognised PLAN Foundation’s contribution in reaching this important legislative milestone and reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the partnership in advancing people-centred legislation that promotes the health, safety, and well-being of the people of Oyo State.

The Clerk further assured stakeholders that all written and oral submissions would be carefully reviewed and considered by the Joint Committee to ensure that the final legislation reflects the collective aspirations and best interests of the people of Oyo State.

Conclusion

The Public Hearing on the Oyo State Unplanned Pregnancy and Unsafe Abortion (Prevention and Regulation) Bill, 2025, marked a significant milestone in advancing sexual and reproductive health policy in Oyo State.

The overwhelming support and constructive recommendations received from government ministries, legislators, development partners, religious leaders, civil society organisations, academia, youth groups, and representatives of persons with disabilities reflected a shared commitment to protecting lives and improving reproductive health outcomes.

PLAN Health Advocacy and Development Foundation remains optimistic about the progression of the bill through the legislative process and reaffirms its commitment, through the ACCESS Project supported by AmplifyChange, to advocating for evidence-based policies that promote the health, dignity, rights, and well-being of women and girls across Oyo State

Together, we will continue to champion policies and partnerships that expand equitable access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services and contribute to healthier communities throughout Oyo State.

For more details on PLAN Foundation’s activities, kindly visit our website https://planfoundation.org.ng/ and engage us on our social media accounts on @NG_PLAN on X (formerly Twitter), @PLANFoundationNGO on Instagram and @PLAN Foundationng on Faceboook

PLAN Foundation is a member of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (IAPAC) https://www.iapac.org/about/, the World Patients Alliance (WPA) https://www.worldpatientsalliance.org/, International AIDS Society (IAS), Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) https://gnpplus.net, International AIDS Society (IAS) https://iasociety.org, the Stop TB Partnership https://stoptb.org, International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (IAPO) https://www.iapo.org.uk, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (IUATLD) https://theunion.org.\, Global Health Council (GHC) https://globalhealth.org as well as various other relevant regional and global networks, movements and professional associations aligned with its vision of a Nigeria where the individual, family, and community are adequately empowered to protect themselves against poverty, underdevelopment, and the spread of diseases.

Ifedayo Osemwegie,
Advocacy, Strategic Communication and Media Officer,
+2348038320421
ifedayo@planfoundation.org.ng

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