A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs), led by the Centre for African Policy Research and Advisory (CAFPRA), has urged the National Assembly to review policies, bills and educational programmes on sexuality education and reproductive health in Nigeria.
The coalition raised concerns over what it described as the growing influence of foreign interests in policies and programmes affecting Nigerian children, calling for greater scrutiny of their content, funding and implementation.
The CSOs made the call during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, where they urged lawmakers to examine bills, policy documents and educational materials relating to sexuality education, particularly those designed for children.
The Executive Director of CAFPRA, Dr Segun Adebayo, said policies affecting Nigerian children should reflect the country’s social, cultural and institutional realities.
He said such policies should not be adopted without adequate consultation with parents, educators, civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders.
“We are dedicated to policies of the land, to be sure that the policies of government in Africa are consistent with the realities of Africa,” Adebayo said.
Adebayo also alleged that some international organisations and foreign interests were seeking to influence public opinion and policy frameworks in African countries on issues relating to sexuality, gender and reproductive health.
The coalition called on lawmakers to examine the origin, funding and implementation of programmes relating to sexuality education and reproductive health before approving or expanding them.
Human rights lawyer and public affairs analyst with CAFPRA, Sonnie Ekwowusi, said public opinion was increasingly important in determining whether controversial policies would eventually gain legislative acceptance.
“Public opinion change is currently where they are going, because if public opinion does not change, it will never be passed as a law,” Ekwowusi said.
He disclosed that CAFPRA had written to the Presidency and National Assembly leadership to communicate its concerns.
The organisation also plans to engage relevant legislative committees and circulate its recommendations to lawmakers.
Another CAFPRA representative, policy researcher and media personality Gold Boms, said the organisation was reviewing legislative proposals and government policies to determine whether they align with Nigeria’s social realities.
“We are making sure that all the bills being passed, we are looking at them and saying, look, this is not aligned with our social reality,” Boms said.
The coalition also called for closer scrutiny of sexuality education materials used in Nigerian schools, particularly materials targeted at children and vulnerable communities.
Chris Yama described the issue as an important national conversation because of its potential implications for children and families.
He argued that the discussion extends beyond conventional health education to include concepts associated with comprehensive sexuality education and sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Yama specifically raised concerns about terms such as “bodily autonomy,” “sexual rights” and “gender identity,” urging lawmakers and the public to examine how such concepts are defined and applied in policies and educational materials.
Jane Chukwu, a child rights advocate with InnerCity Missions for Children, said her organisation’s experience working with vulnerable children had reinforced its concerns about the information children encounter.
She said the organisation works directly with vulnerable children and has developed educational and vocational programmes aimed at helping young people rebuild their lives.
“We are a solution-based organisation. We don’t theorise about child protection. We believe it is every day; our team walks to the streets of Nigerian cities,” Chukwu said.
Chukwu also disclosed that the organisation was establishing a free school in Abuja for children from vulnerable backgrounds.
The coalition said its concerns are part of a broader effort to encourage African governments to formulate policies based on their own social and cultural realities.
CAFPRA also disclosed plans to present an African charter on family values and sovereignty to the National Assembly.
Adebayo said the proposed charter would provide an additional framework for discussions around national policy interests.
The coalition urged lawmakers to subject policies affecting children, education and reproductive health to broader public scrutiny before adoption.
It also called on the media and civil society to investigate the origin, funding and implementation of programmes relating to sexuality education and reproductive health.
However, claims made at the briefing concerning specific foreign organisations, funding arrangements and the alleged content of some educational materials were not independently substantiated.
The debate comes amid continuing discussions about how Nigeria can address sexual and reproductive health education while also considering child protection, parental involvement, educational standards and the country’s social and cultural context.
