March 21, 2024
Watipaso Mzungu JNR
A consortium of civil society organizations (CSOs) implementing Breaking the Barriers Project has made an impassionate appeal to the media in the country to question why, up to now, government is reluctant to table the Termination of Pregnancy Bill in Parliament.
11 MARCH 2024
Centre for Solutions Journalism (Blantyre)
By Penelope Paliani Kamanga
Blantyre — Data from Blantyre District Health Office shows that the majority of people seeking post-abortion care are young girls. Of the 2003 reported cases that were treated for post-abortion care from unsafe abortions in the last quarter of 2023, a staggering 1003 were under the age of 20, while 1000 were slightly over 20 years old.
Blantyre-based youth activist Rebecca Majamanda said the figures highlight the vulnerability of adolescent girls and young women to the risks associated with unsafe abortion practices, including severe health complications and death.
28 SEPTEMBER 2023
Centre for Solutions Journalism (Blantyre)
28 September marks the annual International Safe Abortion Day. As Malawi joins the rest of the world in commemorating the day, it is important for the government to fulfill the commitment made in the National Postabortion Care Policy that 'no woman should suffer or die from complications of abortion in Malawi.'
Despite making the commitment, the reality is that many women and girls continue to die from unsafe abortion.
Recent data from the Ministry of Health shows an upsurge of unsafe abortions in several districts in Malawi, as reflected in the number of women and girls seeking post-abortion care in health facilities.
With unsafe abortions contributing to 18% of maternal deaths, Malawi finds itself facing a dilemma in achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of reducing maternal mortality to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030.
Jun 23, 2023
Brian Ligomeka
Sitting on the veranda of her house in Bangwe Township, located in the southern Malawian city of Blantyre, 56-year-old Manesi Kamolo sheds tears as she recounts in an interview how her 17-year-old daughter died.
According to Kamolo, her daughter became pregnant after being raped while returning from school. “My daughter revealed to me that she was pregnant as a result of the rape,” she explains. “The discovery of the pregnancy haunted her. She told me she never wanted to keep the pregnancy as she wanted to continue with her education.”
Continued: https://malawi24.com/2023/06/23/unsafe-abortions-derail-malawis-progress-on-maternal-health/
8 DECEMBER 2020, Nyasa Times (Leeds)
By Chipambano Mbewe
A group of Sheikh's leaders from different Muslim organisations in the country which are under the Qadriyyah Muslim Association of Malawi (QMAM) through Qadriyyah Ulama Council in Malawi (QUCM) has come out to openly support the controversial proposed Termination of Pregnancy Bill.
The grouping officials on Monday came out in the open to support the bill which has been sharply criticised by some Christians and Muslims.
28 NOVEMBER 2020
Nyasa Times (Leeds)
By Phillip Pasula
Youths from Mzuzu and Nkhata-Bay have spoken in support of the proposed Termination of Pregnancy Bill, saying if passed it will help in safeguarding their sexual reproductive health rights.
The youths sounded their concerns at Ilala Crest Lodge on Thursday where they had a meeting as part of 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence for the year 2020 which begins from 25th November to 10th December.
28 SEPTEMBER 2020, Nyasa Times (Leeds)
By Green Muheya
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Mathews Ngwale has challenged the youth in the country to lobby their members of Parliament to support the Termination of Pregnancy Bill also known as the Abortion Bill when it is tabled in Parliament.
Ngwale, who is expected to move the motion on the bill as a private member motion, said Malawi has lost a lot of young girls and women who could have lived if the laws had not been prohibitive.
Addressing stigma while moving a national campaign: Spotlight on Malawi
Posted June 4, 2019
by inroads Comms, with Andrew Mdala, Boniface Mbewe, Francis Makiya and Mackson Harawa
In this Spotlight, Mackson Harawa, Francis Makiya, Boniface Mbewe and Andrew Mdala, four inroads members, tell us more about the barriers or stigma that still need to be addressed in addition to fighting for legal reform in Malawi.
Although some liberal religious clerics and communities have given a nod to the need for a reform of the abortion law in Malawi, what are the many other socio-cultural obstacles that are yet to be combatted?
Boniface Mbewe (Chipembere Community Development Organization– CCDO): In Malawi there are still many socio-cultural obstacles hindering access to safe abortion services in health facilities. These obstacles include: condemnation emanating from cultural and religious beliefs as the person undergoing the abortion is perceived as sinner. For instance, some believe that abortion is an act carried out by non-believers, sex workers and promiscuous girls in the society; attitude, stigma and discrimination among health service providers towards the people seeking abortion or post-abortion care services also prevent women from seeking services; the legal implications associated with current laws around safe abortion do not necessitate the availability and accessibility of the services to those in need of them. The cost of abortion services and distance to get them (pre-and post-abortion services) are some of the challenge women are facing in Malawi.
Malawi: NGOs Build Capacity of Malawian Lawyers to Undertake Abortion Litigation
5 April 2019
By CSJ Reporter
Litigation is one strategy that can result in clarification of current vague abortion laws, which are perpetrating violation of women rights, a reproductive health champion has said.
Nyale Institute of Reproductive Rights executive director Godfrey Kangaude said this in eastern Malawi's resort town of Mangochi on March 29 when he opened a two-day training on public interest litigation for lawyers.
Health Experts In Malawi Still Pushing For Legalisation Of Safe Abortion
Sep 19, 2017
By Jayne KAONGA
Following reports that unsafe abortions are still being carried out and leading to the death of mothers and young girls in Malawi, health experts are appealing to the relevant authorities for the legalisation of safe abortion.
A 2009 research conducted by the Coalition for the Prevention of Unsafe Abortion (COPUA) found that at the time 67,000 women had unsafe abortions in Malawi.
At the time this cost the government US$1 million to treat complications.
Continued at source: http://www.capitalradiomalawi.com/index.php/blog/local-news/capital-news/item/8507-health-experts-in-malawi-still-pushing-for-legalisation-of-safe-abortion
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