Evaluation gap and its impact on abortion policies: Case studies of women's rights in Nigeria and the United States

Abortion is the termination of pregnancy by removal of the fetus from the uterus. Historical analysis of abortion policies in most countries of the world reveals that policy evaluation seldom takes place before and after these policies are formed and changed. In most cases, policy formulation is initiated based on court cases, incidents, controversial views than on research, evaluation and public health gains. Some policies have been static for decades. The paper did a historical analysis of abortion policies around the globe, and shows the linkage between the evaluation gap and women's human right and reproductive health rights. The case studies of the paper are Nigeria and the United States as representatives of low income and high income countries respectively. It concluded by proffering solutions to fill the evaluation gap present in abortion policy formulation and change and developed a solution model that can be used to manage abortion policies, and controversies for public health gains and the promotion of women's human rights and reproductive health rights.