Oluremi Tinubu urges end to child marriage, better maternal care

First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu on Saturday called for urgent action to end child marriage, expand girls’ education and guarantee every woman access to quality maternal healthcare.

In a personal statement to commemorate the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, which holds annually on May 23 under the auspices of the United Nations Population Fund, the First Lady said no woman or girl should suffer from a condition that is entirely preventable and treatable.

Reflecting on this year’s theme, ‘Her Health, Her Right: Shaping a Future without Fistula,’ Mrs Tinubu said access to quality maternal healthcare must be recognised as a fundamental right and not a privilege.

She identified early marriage and early pregnancy as major contributors to obstetric fistula, noting that a young girl’s body is often not fully developed for childbirth.

The First Lady said, “Harmful traditional practices and lack of awareness further limit access to skilled care and vital health information.

“We must act urgently to end child marriage, empower girls through education, and ensure every woman has access to quality healthcare.”

“Let us work together to build a future where every birth is safe and no woman loses her life in childbirth,” she urged.

Obstetric fistula is an abnormal opening between the birth canal and the bladder or rectum, caused by prolonged obstructed labour without timely medical intervention.

It results in chronic incontinence, social isolation and severe psychological distress for affected women and girls.

Nigeria has an estimated 400,000 to 600,000 women currently living with the condition and approximately 20,000 new cases occurring each year, according to UNFPA data.

The majority of cases are concentrated in the North-West and North-East geopolitical zones, where rates of child marriage, poverty and limited access to skilled birth attendants remain high.