SID Initiative Holds Consultative Workshop on SRHR Policy Review for Marginalized Adolescent Girls, Young Women

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) are fundamental to the well-being of all individuals, including Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and People Living with HIV (PLWHIV).

In Nigeria, policies and frameworks have been developed to promote SRHR access for these populations. However, gaps in implementation, stigma, discrimination, and inadequate policy enforcement continue to hinder full realization of their rights.

To address these issues, with support from Hivos, Sustainable Impact and Development Initiative (SID Initiative) convened a two-day consultative workshop with 20 rightholders to review key policies affecting their access to SRHR services in Lagos state.

The workshop focused on evaluating the 2010 Lagos State Special People’s Bill for PWDs and the 2014 HIV and AIDS (Anti-Discrimination) Act for PLHIV. Participants, including adolescent girls and young women with disabilities and those living with HIV aged 18-29, identified key gaps and proposed solutions to strengthen the implementation of these policies. Three key recommendations from PWDs on the Lagos State Special People’s Bill: Provide sign language interpreters in every Lagos State Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC); Ensure a dedicated doctor is available to facilitate registration of PWDs in the LASODA office; Establish a strategic implementation framework for the Disability Fund.

Three key recommendations from PLHIV on the HIV and AIDS (Anti-Discrimination) Act 2014: Introduce an anonymous complaint and reporting system for PLHIV, regulated by APYIN, LSACA, NACA, NEPWHAN, and ASHWAN, to ensure confidentiality and accountability; Increase public awareness of the HIV and AIDS (Anti-Discrimination) Act, leveraging social media and radio; and reactivate the toll-free helpline in LSACA.

The Executive Director of SID Initiative, Ms. Elizabeth Talatu Williams, added that the workshop, saying, “the recommendations made would be integrated into the policy review brief that the organization is currently developing to drive policy reforms and inform advocacy engagements with relevant stakeholders, including the government.”

SID Initiative remains committed to advancing SRHR policies that are inclusive and accessible to all. Through the We Lead Project funded by HIVOS, the organization envisions a society where every young person’s health and development is realized.

We Lead is a global initiative aimed at empowering young women and adolescent girls who face the greatest neglect of their sexual and reproductive health and rights, including those living with disabilities, identifying as lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or intersex (LBTI), living with HIV, or affected by displacement.