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Niger suspends activity of British charity over abortions
NIAMEY, Nov 27, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Niger has ordered the closure of two
centres run by British charity Marie Stopes International on grounds it was
illegally performing abortions, the health minister told AFP on Tuesday.
“We have decided to close this charity on grounds of a 2006 law which bans
abortions,” said Health Minister Idi Illiassou.
“Our inquiries have shown that this non-governmental organisation is
enabling the voluntary interruption of pregnancy” but the partnership
agreement with Niger “does not authorise this,” he said.
The charity, which operates in 37 countries and has been working in Niger
since 2014, offers contraception and advice on managing unplanned
pregnancies, including safe abortion services, its website says.
“The voluntary interruption of pregnancy should never be considered as a
method of contraception, in any case,” reads the closure order relating to
the two centres run by Marie Stopes in Niamey, the capital, and in Maradi,
the country’s economic hub.
Niger allows abortion only in cases where the pregnancy endangers the
mother’s life.
The charity was not immediately available for a response on the issue.
According to Illiassou, the British charity was terminating pregnancies
through a method of “manual vacuum aspiration for a fee of 30,000 CFA francs
(46 euros/$52)”, saying the government would take legal steps against those
involved.
A source at the health ministry told AFP that police were currently
searching for the charity’s “Nigerien accomplices” who had fled.
According to the charity’s website, it began assessment visits in 2013 “at
the request of the Nigerian Ministry of Health” and began delivering
contraceptive services a year later. Its first centre opened in Niamey in
2016.
Figures relating to Marie Stopes’ work in Niger say 12,472 unintended
pregnancies were prevented in 2017, and 4,748 unsafe abortions were
prevented.
BSS/AFP/RY/1940 hrs