NATIONAL POLICY ON SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
Policy · Health
A Policy that addresses sexual and reproductive health rights for persons with disabilities in Nigeria. It targets women with disabilities, health workers, and organizations to ensure access to quality services without barriers. This promotes their well-being and reduces discrimination.
NATIONAL POLICY ON SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
What Is This Policy?
A policy addressing the sexual and reproductive health rights of persons with disabilities in Nigeria, with emphasis on women and girls, ensuring they access the same quality reproductive health services as the general population.
Who Does It Target?
Women and girls with disabilities across Nigeria Health workers providing reproductive health services Organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) Federal Ministry of Health and Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs
What Does It Aim to Achieve?
Ensure that persons with disabilities, especially women and girls, can access sexual and reproductive health services without discrimination, violence, or barriers to information and care.
Key Features
Non-Discrimination: Health facilities must accommodate persons with disabilities in reproductive health services. Accessible Services: Prescribes physical and communication accessibility requirements for reproductive health services. Rights Protection: Addresses prevention of forced sterilisation and sexual violence against persons with disabilities. Service Integration: Integrates disability considerations into mainstream reproductive health programming.
Current Status
Rollout Stage: Active Coverage: All reproductive health service providers Beneficiaries: Women and girls with disabilities; all persons with disabilities Funding: Federal Government; donors
How to Access
Persons with disabilities: request accessible reproductive health services at any facility Report denial of services to NHRC or the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs OPDs: engage FMOH to improve service accessibility Application method: Access at https://www.health.gov.ng
Important Terms
Forced sterilisation of persons with disabilities is a violation of their rights and a criminal offence Health workers must be trained on disability-inclusive reproductive health service delivery The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) underpins this policy
Official Resources
Website: https://www.health.gov.ng Contact: Federal Ministry of Health / Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs
Legal Framework
Operates under the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018, the National Health Act 2014, the National Reproductive Health Policy, the Child Rights Act 2003, and CEDAW. Draws on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) ratified by Nigeria and the Maputo Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa.