Amend abortion laws: Experts

By Vanessa Gonye
Nov. 14, 2023

HEALTH experts have called for unsafe abortion to be considered a public health concern by amending laws on abortion. Zimbabwe records an estimated 80 000 unsafe abortions annually.

Speaking to NewsDay, My Age Zimbabwe director Onward Gibson said unsafe abortions were contributing to maternal deaths, infertility, among other health threats. “There is urgent need to improve access to comprehensive reproductive health services, including contraception, family planning, and comprehensive sexuality education, which can help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and subsequently lower the demand for abortions,” he said.

Continued: https://www.newsday.co.zw/theindependent/local-news/article/200019498/amend-abortion-laws-experts


Zimbabwe – Cooperation needed in dealing with illegal abortions

9 Sep 2022

The illegal abortion services through online platforms should be put to a stop immediately and individuals behind the practice arrested and prosecuted.

this paper reported on Tuesday that while abortion is illegal in the country, the dodgy individuals demand up to US$100 for pills to induce termination of pregnancies with promises of further treatment to clean the womb.

Continued: https://www.chronicle.co.zw/comment-co-operation-needed-in-dealing-with-illegal-abortions/


Zimbabwe – ZNFPC Lobbies For Review Of Termination Of Pregnancy Act

By Fadzai Ndangana
Nov 30, 2021

Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) is lobbying to change the terms of the Termination of Pregnancy Act to reduce maternal death caused by unsafe abortions.

Although Zimbabwe has achieved many public health successes in areas that were once deemed controversial and challenging, too many Zimbabwean women are still dying from one of the leading causes of maternal deaths, particularly unsafe abortion.

Continued: https://www.263chat.com/znfpc-lobbies-for-review-of-termination-of-pregnancy-act/


Backyard Abortions: Zimbabwe’s Silent Pandemic

By Lovejoy Mutongwiza
Oct 20, 2021

The
COVID-19 pandemic which brought about lockdown restrictions has further
restricted women and girls’ access to safe abortion services in traditionally
marginalized communities in Zimbabwe.

With COVID-19
restrictions, obtaining the necessary appointments and documents to access
health facilities has become a nightmare, especially for women in poor areas
and this has aided the need for most women and girls who fell pregnant,
unintentionally or otherwise, to Nicodemusly seek the termination of
pregnancies.

Continued: https://www.263chat.com/backyard-abortions-zimbabwes-silent-pandemic/


Zimbabwe: Push to Review Abortion Legislation

27 SEPTEMBER 2021
The Herald (Harare)
By Edinah Masiyiwa

Two bodies of newly born babies were found in a bin in Harare, recently.

Because of the lack of accessible contraceptives during Covid-19, 5 000 girls were reported to have fallen pregnant in January alone, and sadly, the abandonment of unwanted babies is one of the outcomes.

Unsafe abortions are another. The reality is, this could just be a tip of the iceberg of what is happening to women and girls as a result of their inability to access contraceptives.

Continued: https://allafrica.com/stories/202109270217.html


Zimbabwe – Illegal abortions to be tackled

Precious Manomano,o Herald Reporter
12 July 2021

Cases of illegal abortions are on the increase and posing a serious health threat to women and young girls.

Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community and Small and Medium Enterprises and other stakeholders are conducting awareness campaigns with the thrust to invoke women to stand up and avert abortion.

Continued: https://www.herald.co.zw/illegal-abortions-to-be-tackled/


Zimbabwe – Unsafe abortions a major public health concern

Muchaneta Chimuka
21 January 2021

Unsafe abortion cases are rife among youth
and adults in Zimbabwe owing to high medical costs, restrictive abortion laws
and lack of or inadequate youth friendly clinics that offers sexual
reproductive health services, negative attitudes by service providers towards
patients, lack of knowledge on how and where to seek services among others.

The 2020 #VoiceandChoice Barometer notes that 24 percent of all pregnancies in
Southern Africa end in abortion.

Continued: https://www.chronicle.co.zw/unsafe-abortions-a-major-public-health-concern/


Zimbabwe: Unsafe Abortions Are a Major Public Health Concern

13 DECEMBER 2020
By Muchaneta Chimuka

Unsafe abortion cases are rife among youth and adults in Zimbabwe owing to high medical costs, restrictive abortion laws and lack of or inadequate youth friendly clinics that offers sexual reproductive health services, negative attitudes by service providers towards patients, lack of knowledge on how and where to seek services among others.

The 2020 #VoiceandChoice Barometer notes that 24% of all pregnancies in Southern Africa end in abortion. Although no Southern African country totally bans abortion, most conditions under which women can obtain abortions remain restrictive.

Continued: https://allafrica.com/stories/202012140629.html


Zimbabwe – Safe abortion is health care

Edinah Masiyiwa, Feature
06 Oct 2020

IT is time we pass effective laws and policies that promote women’s choices when it comes to keeping or terminating a pregnancy especially now when it is so difficult for many women and girls to access Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in the Covid-19 era. We also cannot afford to keep seeing policy agreements passed that are never fulfilled.

The truth is maternal mortality remains high across the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) region, despite political commitment to reduce it. Fourteen countries in Sadc out of 16 countries remain below the target of 70 deaths per 100 000 women. It appears leaders are quick to sign regional and international declarations and agreements such as the Sustainable Development Goals and the International Conference on Population in Development without putting in place country strategies for ensuring implementation.

Continued: https://www.chronicle.co.zw/safe-abortion-is-health-care/


Zimbabwe – Enduring the pain of abortion during lockdown: A female student’s experience

Sharon Buwerimwe
26 Sep, 2020

IMAGINE trying to have a safe abortion while the country is under lockdown with soldiers and police officers manning the streets to ensure no one roams around without reason.

On her way back home, Kayleen Moyo, (not her real name) a student at the Zimbabwe Open University (Zou) walked down the streets of Emganwini suburb, lost in her thoughts as she thought of more “lies” to tell police officers at roadblocks after her visit to a backyard clinic.

Continued: https://www.chronicle.co.zw/enduring-the-pain-of-abortion-during-lockdown-a-female-students-experience/