The Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Justice Advocacy Network (SJN) on Tuesday in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, highlighted the national guidelines on safe termination of pregnancy, noting that several states including Osun have already domesticated the framework.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Olusola Taiwo urged media practitioners to help disseminate accurate information regarding the STOP guidelines, ensuring the public understands the specific legal and health conditions under which safe procedures are permitted.
Expressing concern over the dangers of unsafe termination of pregnancy, he pointed out that widespread misconceptions regarding the legal status of pregnancy termination often lead women to seek life-threatening alternatives.
He called on the media to actively educate both the public and healthcare providers on existing policy provisions, while adhering to survivor-centered journalism that avoids stigmatization and guards privacy.
Olusola made this statement during a journalist training on ethical and rights-based reporting of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) issues organized under the Network’s project theme, “Advancing the Legal and Policy Landscape for Reproductive Rights in Osun State, Southwestern Nigeria.”
Speaking on the objective of the workshop, the National Coordinator of SJN, Ms. Uneje Jerome, emphasized that the initiative was designed to ensure that SRHR issues are reported with high ethical standards and empathy.
“The primary goal of this training is to ensure that SRHR issues are reported ethically using a human rights perspective, with a strong focus on protecting the dignity and rights of survivors,” Jerome said.
She explained that survivors encompass victims of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), particularly rape and incest, as well as individuals facing related physical and mental health issues.