Sexual and reproductive health rights activists in Zimbabwe have expressed concern over the information gap on safe abortion, which is disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups, including the poor, rural, and socially excluded. According to health policy expert Tinashe Mundawarara, this gap is resulting in impaired access to safe abortion services due to myths and misconceptions about the law.
Mundawarara noted that the information gap relates to the criminalization of abortion, which is often portrayed as a broad and restrictive law. This has led to fear of prosecution and discouragement from accessing legal abortion services, even for women who qualify. As a result, many women are forced to seek unsafe and clandestine abortions, which can have serious health consequences.
Stakeholders have emphasized that access to safe and legal abortion care requires more than just a statute; it also needs accurate information, qualified providers, privacy, timely referrals, and respectful services. Safe abortion care involves methods and clinical support tailored to the pregnancy and patient's circumstances, provided by qualified health workers operating within the law and applicable clinical guidance.
Lunia Centre for Youths executive director Tjedu Moyo highlighted that abortion is not entirely illegal in Zimbabwe, but there is a need for more awareness about the subject. The Termination of Pregnancy Act allows for safe abortion in certain circumstances, including risk to life or physical health, serious fetal anomaly, and unlawful intercourse. However, Moyo noted that accessing these services is difficult due to the complex process and limited designated facilities.
Zimbabwe's Termination of Pregnancy Act establishes a narrow legal route for termination, rather than unrestricted access. National director of Women and Law in Southern Africa, Isheanesu Chirisa, revealed that studies from 2019 show that 219 abortions occur daily in Zimbabwe, with 80,000 abortions recorded that year. Of these, about 185 occur among adolescents, often as a result of resorting to backstreet procedures due to medical costs.
Further studies have shown that between 2016 and 2017, 40% of pregnancies in Zimbabwe were unintended, with 25% of those resulting in unsafe and illegal abortions. Chirisa emphasized that without safe abortions being allowed under the law, adolescents often face life-threatening situations.
Activists are calling for increased awareness and accessibility of safe abortion services, particularly in rural and disadvantaged areas. They argue that making the lawful pathway more accessible and providing information at the community level can help reduce the number of unsafe abortions and related health complications.
Key points
- 80,000 abortions were recorded in Zimbabwe in 2019.
- 219 abortions occur daily in Zimbabwe.
- 185 abortions daily occur among adolescents.
