Stakeholders Advocate Expanded Access to SRHR Services as GWIHR Launches Stigma Reduction Project

By Edidiong Obot

UYO

UYO — Stakeholders in the health sector have renewed calls for expanded access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) services, including family planning, contraceptives, and post-abortion care, describing them as essential to reducing maternal mortality and promoting healthier communities.
This call comes as the Greater Women Initiative for Health and Right (GWIHR) convened a Project Inception Meeting in Uyo to commence a six-month Stigma Reduction Intervention Project aimed at addressing barriers associated with reproductive healthcare access in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
Public health experts maintain that SRHR encompasses the right of individuals to make informed decisions about their reproductive health and access quality, non-discriminatory healthcare services. They note that limited access to family planning and contraceptives contributes significantly to unintended pregnancies, unsafe health practices, and preventable maternal deaths.
Global health authorities such as the World Health Organization emphasize that access to voluntary family planning and post-abortion care services plays a vital role in saving lives, preventing complications, and improving overall health outcomes for women and families.
Speaking during the GWIHR project inception meeting held at Watbridge Hotel and Suites, the organisation’s Team Lead and Programmes/Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Mr. Obiano Jude, and the Programmes Officer, Mr. Israel Ezeaku, said the intervention is designed to improve access to rights-based reproductive healthcare services while addressing abortion-related stigma.
They explained that stigma remains a major barrier preventing individuals, particularly women and young people, from seeking essential reproductive healthcare services, including family planning, contraceptives, and post-abortion care.
According to them, the project will strengthen community capacity through awareness creation, stakeholder engagement, and education aimed at addressing harmful social norms, reducing misinformation, and fostering a more supportive environment for accessing reproductive health services.
Health advocates note that when individuals have access to accurate information and quality reproductive healthcare, unintended pregnancies decline, maternal and infant mortality rates are reduced, and women are better able to pursue education and economic opportunities.
They further stressed that post-abortion care remains a critical component of SRHR, as it provides life-saving treatment for complications arising from miscarriage or unsafe health conditions, while also offering counseling and voluntary family planning services to prevent future health risks.
GWIHR, a youth-led community-based organisation operating across Southern Nigeria, stated that the stigma reduction intervention aligns with its mission to promote health equity, gender equality, and human rights, particularly for vulnerable populations.
The organisation reaffirmed its commitment to working with community leaders, policymakers, and healthcare providers to promote stigma-free access to reproductive healthcare services and improve health outcomes.
Stakeholders observed that initiatives such as the GWIHR stigma reduction project are essential in advancing public understanding of SRHR and ensuring that individuals can access reproductive healthcare services safely, freely, and without discrimination.
They stressed that strengthening SRHR services remains critical to improving maternal health, reducing preventable deaths, and supporting sustainable social and economic development.