Mimiko calls for legal action to tackle rising maternal deaths

By Boye Oyeyemi –

Former Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has urged Nigerians to treat preventable maternal deaths as violations of women’s rights and to demand legal accountability from all tiers of government.

Speaking at the 2025 FIDA Week in Akure, he challenged FIDA and other rights-focused groups to initiate strategic litigation against maternal mortality, insisting that Nigeria must shift “from policies to tangible action” in safeguarding women.

Mimiko, addressing the theme “Turning Policy to Action: Advancing Women’s Rights through Law and Governance,” described the issue as “urgent and transformative,” especially as the event aligns with the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.

He referred to the CEHURD & Ors v Attorney General case in Uganda to highlight the global move towards enforcing socio-economic rights, condemning maternal deaths and the “outrageous” detention of women and newborns over unpaid hospital bills.

The former governor noted that although Nigeria has ratified CEDAW and the Maputo Protocol, their lack of domestication limits their application, adding that the VAPP Act remains inactive in seven states.

While acknowledging gains in gender inclusion, he pushed for measures such as the Reserved Seats for Women Bill and praised nations like Rwanda for achieving 61 per cent female representation in parliament.

He urged FIDA to champion litigation on women’s rights, insisting that “policy must become action, and action must deliver justice and dignity for every woman and girl.”