Right to Life and Abortion Debate in Nigeria: A Case for the Legislation of the Principle of Double-Effect

The controversy as to whether abortion on demand will be legalized in Nigeria has been long and protracted. This is not unconnected with the fact that the issues that border on life are always sensitive for society and all the more for the legislature and the Courts. Notwithstanding the comparatively conservative status of law on abortion in Nigeria, arguments from differential fields of knowledge relating to the amendment of the law as it is, are far reaching. A great many insist that all forms of willful abortion should be criminalized. In this school of thought, we find the Catholic Church at the baseline. Nevertheless, the leftist pro-choice school defends the opinion that it is only fair and just that a woman should be left to decide in such a grave matter about her life and health. This essay makes an ethical detour in differential arguments as a necessary prerequisite for the much needed legal mediation of the rival camps. It proposes the legislation of the “principle of double effect” as the legal middle course

Are laws the appropriate solution: The need to adopt non-policy measures in aid of the implementation of sex discrimination laws in Nigeria

Gender inequality is a social problem facing women all over the world and is a barrier to human development. The United Nations commits to achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls and have adopted the Sustainable Development Goals to achieve gender equality by 2030. Nigeria, a Member State of the United Nations has ratified international and regional instruments which advocate for the protection and promotion of the rights of women and girls. Though some progress has been made to reduce inequality, discrimination remains a problem to women and is exacerbated by factors such as culture, religion, social practices and discriminatory laws. This study seeks to add to the discourse on gender inequality in Nigeria and examine the effectiveness of available domestic and international provisions against sex discrimination when considered against ingrained cultural attitudes, beliefs and discriminatory laws. The study found that amongst other determinants, culture and religion were constant features in the different forms of discrimination Nigerian women face and they were the primary reasons the proposals to pass gender equality laws were opposed and failed. The study proposes the need to adopt non-policy measures such as education and awareness-raising as additional measures to eliminating discrimination and promoting equalit

Toxicity of Nanoparticles in Biomedical Application: Nanotoxicology

Nanoparticles are of great importance in development and research because of their application in industries and biomedicine. The development of nanoparticles requires proper knowledge of their fabrication, interaction, release, distribution, target, compatibility, and functions. This review presents a comprehensive update on nanoparticles’ toxic effects, the factors underlying their toxicity, and the mechanisms by which toxicity is induced. Recent studies have found that nanoparticles may cause serious health effects when exposed to the body through ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact without caution. The extent to which toxicity is induced depends on some properties, including the nature and size of the nanoparticle, the surface area, shape, aspect ratio, surface coating, crystallinity, dissolution, and agglomeration. In all, the general mechanisms by which it causes toxicity lie on its capability to initiate the formation of reactive species, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and neurotoxicity, among others