Maternal Mortality and Women’s Right to Health in Bauchi State: Bridging Law and Practice

This study examines maternal mortality as a human rights issue in Bauchi State, Northeast Nigeria, analyzing the gap between legal obligations and practical realities in the delivery of reproductive health services. Nigeria records one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world, and Bauchi State contributes disproportionately to this statistic due to limited access to skilled birth attendants, inadequate health facilities, and cultural barriers to seeking medical care. The research applies the Maputo Protocol, CEDAW's General Recommendation No. 24 on women and health, and the Abuja Declaration's health spending targets to the Bauchi context. Primary data are collected through interviews with pregnant women, traditional birth attendants, healthcare workers, and health policy officers in Bauchi and Ningi local government areas. Secondary data include National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2021 data disaggregated for Northeast states, and health facility assessment reports. Findings reveal critical shortages of midwives and emergency obstetric care equipment in rural facilities, high rates of home delivery without skilled attendance, and inadequate referral systems. The study argues that maternal mortality in Bauchi constitutes a preventable and rights-violating tragedy attributable to state failure to mobilize maximum available resources for reproductive healthcare. Recommendations include emergency midwifery training programs, mobile maternal health clinics, and community health insurance schemes tailored for rural women. Keywords: maternal mortality, women's health, Bauchi State, reproductive rights, Maputo Protocol.