Chiefs engaged on abortion bill
Pro-choice advocates under the Breaking the Barriers Project have engaged five traditional leaders and their subordinates in Mzimba North on the need and urgency to have the Termination of Pregnancy Bill enacted into law.
Breaking the Barriers project manager Enock Chinkhuntha said in an interview on Wednesday that traditional leaders are crucial to the enactment of the Bill, which provides more grounds for safe abortion.
He said: “ This is the second round of engagement wi th traditional leaders. Last time we had traditional leaders from Mzimba South. Traditional leaders are the ones who feel the pain to see young girls and women dying from unsafe abortion.
“We are discussing the draft bill so they understand its contents. It is not abortion on demand. We are promoting specific grounds that women should procure safe abortion from a certified health facility.”
Chinkhuntha said there is a high level of ignorance and hypocrisy among leaders on safe abortion, including some members of Parliament who have been refusing to discuss the bill.
Speaking on behalf of other leaders, Senior Chief Mtwalo said they welcome the lobby for safe abortion considering the rampant deaths of girls and women procuring unsafe abortion.
“Those going against the Bill have not yet understood what it says. We are sure that with more sensitisation, they will be able to understand the benefits,” he said.
On the aspect that Malawi is a God-fearing nation, Mtwalo said it was important for lawmakers to strike a balance between religion and the law.
Section 243 of the Penal Code restricts abortion to only where the pregnancy poses danger to the life of the woman.
Studies by the Ministry of Health and its partners show that Malawi spends a b o u t K 1 . 3 b i l l i o n treating post-abortion complications
