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Tackling sticky issue of abortion using drama

Business at Wakawaka Market along the M1 in Lilongwe was on Saturday interrupted by a an incident where a young woman, Kesha, tearfully begged for understanding from her father, Pastor Safu, who was furious about what had happened.

“You have brought shame to our family, Kesha! You will suffer the consequences,” he warned her.

Paragon Arts Theatre in action. | Wantwa Mwamlima

“Dad, please! I was raped,” Kesha whispered, her voice breaking under the weight of her father’s condemnation.

This wasn’t a real family conflict. It was a performance, part of a flash mob play by Paragon Arts Theatre Group on abortion, especially the need for post-abortion care for women and girls. 

Titled Shattered Silence, the play sparks conversations in unexpected spaces where the audience is not a reserved theatre crowd, but people from different communities.

Abortion is a controversial issue in Malawi. Under the law, it is legal only when the mother’s life is in danger, yet, the reality paints a different picture.

The Nation of April 3 last year reported that the Ministry of Health said about 38 in 1 000 women of reproductive age procure abortion. However, most cases occur secretly.

In 2015, about 141 000 abortions were performed in Malawi, most of them unsafe and clandestine. Reports say such abortions result in six to 18 percent of maternal deaths in the country.

Behind these stark numbers are women and girls, many of whom face severe complications such as haemorrhage, infections or even death because they fear the stigma of seeking post-abortion care which, according to the ministry, is a huge drain on resources.

This fear was at the heart of Kesha’s story at Wakawaka market. In the play, the young girl’s father dismisses her pleas for understanding, focusing instead on societal shame. But as the play unfolds, the audience portrayed by actors, stepped forward to challenge Pastor Safu.

“She needs medical attention!” said Thandie, one of the characters.

Another voice, Mphatso, said: “Post-abortion care is not a privilege, but a basic human right. We can’t turn our backs on women like Kesha.”

The play reflects an all-too-common reality. The stigma surrounding abortion doesn’t just force women into unsafe procedures, it also isolates them, leaving them with nowhere to turn when complications arise.

Nellie Namoya, a tomato seller who watched the performance, said the play adressed real things that are happening in communities.

“This is what happens in our communities. While we do not support abortion, let us accept that it happens. We have lost young women and girls due to this,” she said.

Namoya also said as a parent, she feels that the lives of women and girls that have undergone unsafe abortions still matter and that they should be given the right care just like any patient.

“Women and girls die due to complications that come after unsafe abortions. So it is only right to give them post-abortion care regardless of the shame or stigma that surrounds it,” she said.

One of the actors, theologian Edwin Chonde said theatre has just proved that it is a powerful tool for change.

“While abortion is a controversial issue, we must recognise that it happens and those affected need help. Just as patients with drug or alcohol problems are treated, women who have had abortions deserve care too. It’s a right to life, not a privilege,” he said.

The play’s director Phil Kuipa said the group chose flash mobs because of their ability to draw unfiltered attention, adding that they want to spark a dialogue on the importance of post-abortion care to save women’s and girls’ lives.

“We want to use theatre to spark a dialogue. The message of the play wasn’t just a plea for understanding it, but calling authorities to action. It is time communities looked beyond stigma, shame and choose compassion. They need to create a safer space for women and girls like Kesha without fear,” he said.

Kuipa added that while the issue remains controversial, restrictive abortion laws have not stopped women and girls from terminating pregnancies using backstreet procedures which endanger their lives.

Having performed previously in four sites, the group has three more performances left in various locations, with one main performance targeting policy and decision makers.

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