End Child Marriage To Stop Fistula, Oluremi Tinubu Urges Nigerians

Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has urged Nigerians to end child marriage, warning that the practice remains a major cause of obstetric fistula among women and girls across the country.

In a message to commemorate the 2026 International Day to End Obstetric Fistula marked on May 23, the First Lady said early marriage and teenage pregnancy expose young girls, whose bodies are often not fully developed for childbirth, to the risk of developing fistula.

She also identified harmful traditional practices and inadequate awareness as factors limiting women’s access to skilled healthcare services and critical maternal health information.

“This year’s theme, ‘Her Health, Her Right: Shaping a Future without Fistula,’ reminds us that access to quality maternal healthcare is a fundamental right,” she said.

According to her, obstetric fistula is both preventable and treatable, stressing that no woman or girl should continue to suffer from the condition.

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

She further urged Nigerians and stakeholders to work collectively towards ensuring safer childbirth for women across the country.

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