Malawi: NGO Hails Malawi Government for Reducing Maternal Mortality

13 March 2025
Centre for Solutions Journalism (Blantyre)

Centre for Solutions Journalism (CSJ) has described government's post-abortion care programme as 'life-saving and extremely important,' in ensuring that no single woman or girl suffers or dies due to pregnancy related-causes.

CSJ Executive Director Brian Ligomeka said while access to abortion services remain restricted, it was important to appreciate the success of Malawi's post-abortion care unit.

"While our wish is that no single woman or girl should suffer or die from the consequences of unsafe abortions through provision of abortion services, we need to appreciate some of the current interventions of the government," he said recently, on the sidelines of the training sessions.

Continued: https://allafrica.com/stories/202503140033.html

13.03.2025

News

Brian Ligomeka

Centre for Solutions Journalism

Coalition for the Prevention of Unsafe Abortion

Dr Francis Makiya

Malawi

Termination of Pregnancy Bill

unsafe abortion

World Health Organization

Malawi – MPs need to engage constituents for the enactment of Termination of Pregnancy Bill

August 7, 2024
by Duncan Mlanjira

Abortion in one way is illegal but termination of pregnancy is legal – but it goes with it some restrictive conditions, which deny women and girls liberty to abort unplanned pregnancies and they resort to still go ahead through clandestine and unsafe abortion.

This has created a huge crisis in Malawi and from surveys done, each year, over 141,000 women and girls have abortions – almost all clandestine and the figure is likely to be higher because there are no records for those who successfully carried out the process.

Continued: https://www.nyasatimes.com/mps-need-to-engage-constituents-for-the-enactment-of-termination-of-pregnancy-bill/#google_vignette

07.08.2024

News

Brian Ligomeka

Centre for Solutions Journalism

clandestine abortions

Duncan Mlanjira

Ipas Malawi

maternal mortality

Termination of Pregnancy Bill

Malawi – Legal restrictions fail to stop unsafe abortions – COPUA

May 21, 2024

Despite current legal restrictions, unsafe abortions are still widespread in Malawi as over 100,000 abortions take place every year, country-wide.

Citing the research results by the College of Medicine and Guttmacher Institute which shows that over 141,000 abortions happened in Malawi in 2015 alone, Coalition for the Prevention of Unsafe Abortion (COPUA) Vice Chairperson, Dr Amos Nyaka wants the law process to continue.

Continued: https://www.nyasatimes.com/legal-restrictions-fail-to-stop-unsafe-abortions-copua/

Malawi – Unsafe abortion putting lives of women in danger – Human Rights Media Organization

May 11, 2024
Martha Chikoti

Centre for Solutions Journalism (CSJ), a human rights media organization, says unsafe abortion puts the lives of girls and women in danger especially those in remote areas due to ignorance and lack of information on Sexual and Reproductive Health related issues.

Executive Director, Brian Ligomeka, made the statement on Friday during a media training that the organization conducted on reporting sexual and reproductive health issues in Lilongwe.

Continued: https://malawi24.com/2024/05/11/unsafe-abortion-putting-lives-of-women-in-danger-human-rights-media-organization/

11.05.2024

News

Brian Ligomeka

Centre for Solutions Journalism

Malawi Penal Code

sexual and reproductive health

Malawi – Abortion motion withdrawn to pave way for civic education

Jun 17, 2021
Russell Kondowe

Chiradzulu West Member of Parliament Dr Mathews Ngwale has withdrawn his intention to table a private member’s motion on Abortion Bill, saying stakeholders should continue sensitising and civic-educating people in the country about what the bill says.

Ngwale who is also Chairperson
for the Parliamentary Committee on Health said a lot of people are not aware of
the importance for law on safe abortion to be legislated hence it is important
for people to be sensitised.

Continued: https://malawi24.com/2021/06/17/abortion-motion-withdrawn-to-pave-way-for-civic-education/

17.06.2021

Featured

News

Brian Ligomeka

Centre for Solutions Journalism

Dr Mathews Ngwale

Penelope Paliani Kamanga

private member bill on abortion

Termination of Pregnancy Bill

Malawi: Abortion Bill in Parliament On Thursday As Malawi As Churches Oppose

10 MARCH 2021

By Chipambano Mbewe, Nyasa Times (Leeds)

The Malawi Parliamentary Health Committee says it will present and move a
motion of the Termination of Pregnancy (TOP) bill on Thursday, March 11 2021 in
the Parliament which will also be presented as a Private Member's Bill
respectively in the face of opposition from faith groups.

If passed, the termination of pregnancy bill would allow abortions when a
woman's mental or physical health is in danger, in cases of rape and incest,
and when there are serious foetal abnormalities.

Continued: https://allafrica.com/stories/202103110315.html

Malawi to Debate Liberalizing Abortion in Face of Conservative Opposition

By Lameck Masina
March 10, 2021

BLANTYRE, MALAWI - Abortion is illegal in Malawi, unless the mother's life is at risk, but that doesn't stop an estimated 140,000 women per year having unsafe terminations that leave 12,000 women dead and countless others permanently scarred. Despite these numbers, efforts to liberalize current abortion laws are facing resistance from conservative groups.

After getting pregnant at age 17, “Melita” – not her real name – saw abortion as her only option to stay in school.

Continued: https://www.voanews.com/africa/malawi-debate-liberalizing-abortion-face-conservative-opposition

10.03.2021

Malawi College of Medicine

Pastor Zacc Kawalala

Safe Abortion Campaign

unsafe abortion complications

Malawi MPs debate bill to liberalise abortion laws as churches oppose

Law would widen strict rules in country where thousands suffer complications from unsafe terminations

Charles Pensulo in Lilongwe
Thu 25 Feb 2021

A bill to liberalise Malawi’s abortion laws will be debated by MPs on Thursday in the face of opposition from faith groups.

If passed, the termination of pregnancy bill would allow abortions when a woman’s mental or physical health is in danger, in cases of rape and incest, and when there are serious foetal abnormalities.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/feb/25/malawi-mps-debate-bill-to-liberalise-abortion-laws-as-churches-oppose

Malawi’s abortion bill pits pro-life against pro-choice

Issued on: 17/10/2020
Laura Angela Bagnetto

Malawi’s members of parliament are due to review a pregnancy termination bill before they take a recess on 23 October, a move that has stirred controversy between lawmakers as well as Malawians.

“We Malawians hide a lot behind the argument that we are a God-fearing nation; we hide behind that in order to run away from the real issue,” says Beatrice Mateyo, executive director for the Coalition for the Empowerment of Women and Girls in Lilongwe.

Continued: https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20201017-malawi-s-abortion-bill-pits-pro-life-against-pro-choice

Malawi: NGOs Urge Malawi’s New Leader to Promote Human Rights

3 July 2020
Centre for Solutions Journalism (Blantyre)
By Glory Msowoya, Mana

Centre for Solutions of Journalism (CSJ) has urged the new administration of the State President Dr Lazarus Chakwera to prioritise the advancement of human rights for all the citizens.

"We urge the new administration to promote and defend human rights for all the citizens without discrimination based on including region, tribe, religion, gender, sex or sexual orientation," said CSJ executive director Brian Ligomeka.

Continued: https://allafrica.com/stories/202007030229.html

03.07.2020