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The Osun River, a major water source in southern Nigeria, supports millions of people who rely on it for agriculture as well as industries. It also runs through the Osun Osogbo grove, a world heritage site in south-west Nigeria. Worshippers and tourists visit the river to pray, wash their bodies, fetch water, and offer gifts to Osun, the goddess of fertility. But, as Emmanuel O. Akindele explains, this tradition – as well as the river’s biodiversity and economic value – is being threatened by pollution. He recommends actions to help the river heal.
African women are among the worst off in the world when it comes to accessing legal and safe abortions. Over 90% of women of reproductive age (15–49) in the region live in countries in which abortion is highly or moderately restricted. This explains why sub-Saharan Africa has one of the highest rates of abortion-related deaths on the globe.
But it’s not just restrictive laws that push women to unsafe abortion. Research conducted by Ramatou Ouedraogo, Grace Kimemia and Jonna Both in Kenya and Benin shows that when it comes to having an abortion, women’s priority is avoiding prosecution and social stigma. This is the case regardless of whether they live in settings that have restrictive or more liberal laws.
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Kofoworola Belo-Osagie
Commissioning Editor: Nigeria
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Emmanuel O. Akindele, Obafemi Awolowo University
The ability of the Osun River to support biodiversity is being threatened by pollution and can only be rescued if the contamination ends.
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Ramatou Ouedraogo, African Population and Health Research Center; Grace Kimemia, African Population and Health Research Center
Girls and young women do not search for medical safety when seeking abortion care. They prioritise “social safety” to avoid prosecution and social stigma. Can self-care be a solution?
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Iddrisu Mohammed Kambala, University of South Carolina
Ghana’s northern region would be more developed now had it received a fairer share of colonial investments.
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Sathiya Susuman Appunni, University of the Western Cape
Though child marriage rates are declining globally, the practice remains worryingly common in some African countries.
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From our international editions
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Stefania Soldini, University of Liverpool
We don’t know much about the target asteroid of Nasa’s imminent Dart mission, so it’s hard to predict what will happen when we crash into it.
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Jean-Philippe Serbera, Sheffield Hallam University
The markets have thumped the new UK government over its fiscally bold ‘mini-budget’.
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Vrinda Narain, McGill University; Fatemeh Sadeghi, UCL
Women have long demanded change in Iran. In the aftermath of the death of a woman for a hijab violation, women protesters may be leading their country to a freer and more just society.
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Rosaleen Duffy, University of Sheffield
Money pouring into conservation has funded drones and military-style training for rangers.
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27 September 2022
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Johannesburg
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28 September 2022
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Johannesburg
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29 September - 2 October 2022
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Pretoria
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18 October 2022
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Johannesburg
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