An Appraisal of the Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Women Reproductive and Sexual Health Rights in Nigeria: Strengthening the Regulations on Human Rights Protection

Abstract

Among the increasing frequent acts of violations over the past decades has been on the health rights of women. The question on women reproductive and sexual health rights has remained the most intractable issues in Nigeria and around the globe. To this effect, this study analyzes the current development and legislations on women reproductive and sexual health rights in the wake of corona virus pandemic in Nigeria. This is with the objective of examining the impact of corona virus pandemic on women reproductive and sexual health rights in Nigeria. The researchers adopted a doctrinal approach which focuses principally
on the current legislations and policies on women reproductive and sexual health in Nigeria and other jurisdictions. Amongst other things, it is argued that while corona virus pandemic receives global attention and support, sexual and reproductive health (SRH) rights of women in Nigeria is yet to be systematically included in global and national efforts to reducing disaster risks and these has remained a critical gap. This paper also revealed that in situations of disasters, women and girls are often mostly affected and their reproductive and sexual health needs are neglected and marginalized. Basically, necessary recommendations are made while the study concludes that the essence of re-examining the reproductive and sexual health rights of women in Nigeria is to ensure that there is adequate protection of reproductive and sexual health rights of women and girls in the wake of corona virus pandemic and also for government at all levels to integrate sexual and reproductive health rights into national, regional or global disaster risk reduction and management.