Recognizing the Inalienable Reproductive Health Rights of Women in Nigeria. Customary and Sharia Law as Hindrances: The Way Forward

Reproductive rights provide a woman the ability to choose whether or not to have a child, as well as when and how many children to have. In a marital/sexual relationship, these rights also empower a woman to assert her autonomy. Discussions on the reproductive health of people living with HIV/AIDS, female genital mutilation, reproductive health rights of women affected by COVID-19, reproductive health rights of women living with disabilities in Nigeria and a variety of other topics led to a better understanding of women’s reproductive health rights.  However, both religious and customary norms have hampered the acknowledgment of women’s reproductive health rights in Nigeria. This paper concludes that women should have the unalienable right to make decisions about their reproductive health at all times. They should be able to understand what is being done on their bodies, the dangers and consequences and provide their agreement.