Fight against clandestine abortions: The new battle of COJAS Benin

The Coalition of Youth Organizations for Safe Abortion in Benin (LAMS) which brings together associations of young people and women who intervene in the field of Health, Sexual and Reproductive Rights for adolescents and young people, unveiled in the presence of men from the media this Wednesday 3 August 2022, his new project. This is the project “Djro Tché” which means my choice, my will to fight against complicated and unsafe abortions.

In Benin, voluntary termination of pregnancy is a taboo subject under our skies. The statistics are alarming. More than 200 women die in silence every year from complicated and unsafe abortions. Increased use of modern contraceptive methods has not eliminated the need for abortion services. The legal context of 2003 did not make it possible to improve the target indicators 3.1, 3.2, 3.7 de l'ODD 3 and 5.6 of SDG 5.Indeed, according to the Maternal Neonatal Mortality report 2018-2022, 200 women die in Benin due to clandestine abortion, the MMR is 391/100 M live births, 1500 women die in Benin trying to give birth. Likewise, according to the EDS 2017-2018, abortion is the 3rd cause of death of women in Benin after hemorrhages and eclampsia.

According to the observation made by COJAS Benin, according to the president of the commission of this coalition, Beninese women do not easily access safe abortion services. “Despite the vote on the law modifying and supplementing the SR2003 law on SSR which relaxes and broadens the conditions of access to safe abortion services, stigma and discrimination against young people who have used services continues to be rife. Service applicants mainly face religious constraints, of social norms with a stigmatizing environment both at the community level and at the level of service provision”, said Déborah Alima. However, she adds: “The objective sought by the Government through this amending law is to secure and regulate the practice of voluntary termination of pregnancy.. In other words, it is concretely a question of allowing the woman to have recourse to an abortion for reasons specified by law, to do it in conditions that preserve one’s life. Beyond protecting the health of the woman who expresses the desire to have an abortion, it is a whole battery of measures which is envisaged to supervise the practice which will remain in all cases, a last resort ». Months after the adoption of this law, she explains, “it seems to be misunderstood by communities and reinforces stigmas. Between the weights of religion ; morals and customs, COJAS in its dynamic considers it necessary to bring the debate back to the community level and strengthen exchanges between community leaders and young people on the issue of abortion”.

If nothing is done about this situation, despite advances in the legal framework, points out Elvis Seriki, Executive Secretary of COJAS Benin girls and women will continue to resort to abortion services practiced “in alarming and dangerous conditions with dramatic consequences. While the stigma linked to abortion leads many women to suicide”.

It is to do this that “the project “Djro Tché” with the financial support of the Global Fund for Women is initiated to contribute to the reduction of the stigma linked to safe abortion services among young people 15-24 years in the communes of Zogbodomey and Parakou », he justifies. “We believe that the woman who needs a safe abortion service should go to a qualified health center, having the appropriate technical platform. Bringing a child into the world should be a choice and not a compulsion. Access to safe abortion services is also a human right”, he indicates.

Objectives of this project

According to Pyrhusse Sagbohan, member of COJAS, several objectives underlie this project. Contribute to the reduction of stigma related to safe abortion services among young people 15-24 years in the communes of Zogbodomey and Parakou. Strengthen not only the engagement of community leaders and young people against the stigma linked to safe abortion services among young people through SBCC sessions but also the knowledge of young people on the right to safe abortion within the limits of the law in Benin. She took the opportunity to clarify that COJAS does not promote abortion. “COJAS is working so that populations, particularly young people, take ownership of the SR2003 amending law in order to eliminate avoidable maternal deaths relating to abortion.. Precisely in this project, we will work with religious leaders ; community ; and young people in order to deconstruct the prejudices and harmful stereotypes which reinforce stigmatization and promote the clandestineness of the phenomenon of abortion, which amplifies deaths linked to abortion”.

Everything you need to know about COJAS Benin

According to Urbain Ahouangbasso, Project leader, COJAS brings together up to 12 organizations and nearly a dozen activists (Physical persons) pro-choice. Our mission, he will say is “to work for a Beninese society where women who decide can have access to safe abortion services without stigmatization under the conditions provided for by law”. To do this, he indicates, “We are working to strengthen the coordination and synergy of actions to remove the barriers linked to access to RH services and safe abortion, particularly in Benin”.

Note that this project lasted ten months.

Patrice ADJAHO