In a landmark decision in June 2025, the Federal High Court in Abuja affirmed that unplanned pregnancies resulting from rape, incest and other forms of sexual violence is a violation of the rights of women and girls.
“The ruling is a welcome development, as this is the first time a superior court in Nigeria has recognized that pregnancies arising from sexual violence not only harm a woman’s physical health but also her mental wellbeing,” says Lucky Palmer, director of the Ipas Nigerian Health Foundation. “The decision represents a critical legal precedent and a significant stride toward safeguarding the bodily autonomy and dignity of women and girls in Nigeria.”
Ipas Nigeria supported the Reproductive Justice Initiative Foundation, a network of reproductive health lawyers, through capacity building and funding, to institute a legal action in the Federal High Court to recognize access to safe abortion as a fundamental human right for survivors of sexual violence.
The ruling is a crucial step in preventing survivors of sexual violence from seeking to end unintended pregnancies by unsafe procedures that often lead to preventable injuries, long-term disabilities, or death. The decision also further supports the provision of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act that provides for comprehensive medical care for survivors of sexual assault.
“Ipas Nigeria will continue to work with legal advocates, civil society organizations and grassroots activists to fight for the rights of all women and girls. Access to abortion is a human right, and no one should be forced to end a pregnancy by unsafe methods,” says Palmer.