Report On 2-Day Legislative Retreat on Final Review of Draft
Report On 2-Day Legislative Retreat on Final Review of Draft Oyo State Unplanned Pregnancy and Unsafe Abortion (Prevention and Regulation) Bill. Accelerating Community Commitment Towards Expanding Sexual and Reproductive Health Services for Women and Girls in Oyo State (ACCESS PROJECT) Funded by Amplifychange
REPORT ON 2-DAY LEGISLATIVE RETREAT ON FINAL REVIEW OF DRAFT OYO STATE UNPLANNED PREGNANCY AND UNSAFE ABORTION (PREVENTION AND REGULATION) BILL
DATE: WEDNESDAY 28TH – THURSDAY 29TH JULY, 2026.
VENUE: AMBER RESIDENCE, GRA, IKEJA. LAGOS STATE.
PLAN Health Advocacy and Development Foundation (PLAN Foundation), Ibadan, Nigeria, through its Accelerating Community Commitment Towards Expanding Sexual and Reproductive Health Services for Women and Girls in Oyo State (ACCESS Project), funded by AmplifyChange, successfully facilitated a two-day legislative retreat for members of the Oyo State House of Assembly to conduct the final technical review of the Draft Oyo State Unplanned Pregnancy and Unsafe Abortion (Prevention and Regulation) Bill, 2025.
The retreat brought together Honourable Members of the Oyo State House of Assembly, members of the House Committees on Health and Women Affairs, legislative officials, legal experts, public health professionals, and representatives of PLAN Foundation. The meeting provided an opportunity for participants to carefully review the draft bill clause by clause, ensuring that it reflects current public health realities, aligns with existing legal frameworks, and addresses the reproductive health needs of women, girls, and other vulnerable groups across Oyo State.
Renewed Commitment from the Legislature
Members of the House reaffirmed their commitment to supporting evidence-based legislation that promotes the health, dignity, and well-being of the people of Oyo State. They acknowledged the extensive consultations that had informed the development of the bill and commended the collaborative efforts of government institutions, civil society organisations, health professionals, development partners, youth representatives, religious leaders, and community stakeholders who contributed throughout the drafting and review process.
The legislators further recognised the importance of sustained collaboration between the legislature and development partners in addressing pressing public health challenges affecting women and girls in the state.
Building Consensus Around a Stronger Bill
The retreat served as an important milestone in the legislative process, allowing lawmakers and technical experts to collectively examine recommendations generated from previous stakeholder consultations, advocacy engagements, and the public hearing held on the proposed legislation. Participants deliberated on key provisions of the bill, clarified legal and technical issues, and reached consensus on amendments aimed at strengthening the document before its consideration for third reading and final legislative processes.
Throughout the sessions, emphasis was placed on ensuring that the proposed Bill prioritises the prevention of unplanned pregnancies through comprehensive education, improved access to quality sexual and reproductive health information and services, stronger referral systems, protection of vulnerable persons, and clearly defined regulatory measures to reduce unsafe abortion and its associated health complications.
The retreat also reinforced the shared understanding that the proposed legislation is fundamentally a public health intervention designed to reduce preventable maternal deaths, protect adolescents and young women, and improve access to life-saving reproductive health services within the framework of existing Nigerian laws.
Advancing Sustainable Policy Change
Speaking on the significance of the retreat, PLAN Foundation reiterated the organisation’s commitment to supporting policy reforms that strengthen health systems and expand equitable access to sexual and reproductive health services. We also expressed appreciation to the leadership and members of the Oyo State House of Assembly for their dedication to an inclusive and consultative legislative process.
The two-day retreat marks another significant milestone under the ACCESS Project, which has continued to engage policymakers, government ministries, healthcare providers, educators, community leaders, faith-based organisations, young people, and civil society actors in promoting sustainable solutions to the challenges of unplanned pregnancy and unsafe abortion in Oyo State. Previous activities under the project have included stakeholder consultations, legislative engagements, technical review meetings, and a public hearing on the draft bill.
As the legislative process progresses, PLAN Foundation remains committed to working alongside the Oyo State Government and other stakeholders to promote policies that safeguard the health, rights, and future of women and girls while contributing to improved maternal health outcomes and sustainable development in Oyo State.
About Us
PLAN Health Advocacy and Development Foundation (PLAN Foundation), was the first independent support group for people with HIV (PHIV) in Oyo State in Southwestern Nigeria. It is on record that we had the opportunity to participate actively and notably in most of these processes.
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