Preventing Maternal Mortality in Nigeria: A Human Rights Imperative.

Abstract

Maternal mortality is one of the greatest global threat to life expectancy of women and girls and the enjoyment of their right to life. It is estimated that 250 women and girls die every day as a result of complications during pregnancy and child birth. Out of this sordid global statistics, Nigeria shares a disproportionate burden of 40,000 maternal deaths per year. Despite advances made towards health care delivery, becoming pregnant is a very high risk experience for an average woman and girl in Nigeria due to the absence of human rights based approach to existing policies and interventions. This paper postulated that whereas access to appropriate and quality health care services are critical factors in reducing maternal mortality, the paradigm shift is the realization that health policies and interventions alone are not sufficient to combat the burden of maternal mortality in Nigeria. Rather, concerted efforts must be made to systematically guarantee to every women and girl the inalienable enjoyment of the full range of human rights, including right to health and life guaranteed in the Nigerian Constitution and other human rights treaties subscribed to by Nigeria.