Delay in enacting the Termination of Pregnancy bill worried CSOs
The Malawi Government has been urged to expedite the enactment of the Termination of Pregnancy Bill currently published in the Government Gazette in 2016.
Reverend Martin Kalimbe, Board member of Centre for Solutions Journalism (CSJ) said this in a statement issued as the nation joins the world in commemorating the International Safe Abortion Day under the theme ” Abortion Solidality”.
The statements added that government needs to walk the talk on the commitment it made by signing and ratifying the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa.
“We commend the Malawi Government that it has started the fulfilment of the Maputo Protocol by enacting the Gender Equality Act and by drafting the Termination of Pregnancy Bill which is currently in the Report of the Law Commission on the Review of the Law on Abortion, published in the Government Gazette in 2016.
“The time is now ripe for the Malawi Government to complete the work it began on the review of Malawi’s outdated abortion law by adopting the proposed bill which the Malawi Law Commission drafted. By drafting the Termination of Pregnancy Bill, Malawi as a state party to the Protocol, is on the right path to complying and ensuring that its law on abortion is in line with international standards,” said Kalimbe.
He added that the Bill will be a positive development as it will bring Malawi’s legal position on abortion in conformity with that if its neighbours which are all party to the Maputo Protocol.
“It is a betrayal of women and girls who suffer from adverse health and psycho-social effects from unplanned pregnancies that occur under various circumstances including rape and incest. The delay in enacting a new law for safe abortion as recommended by the Law Commission, at least within the standards set by the Maputo Protocol is a negation of Malawi’s obligation under the International law” added Kalimbe.
Reverend Kalimbe asked the government to seriously consider the plight of the women and girls who require the service rather than the views of those who are not directly affected but seek to control bodily autonomy and the choices of women and girls .
“A number of women’s and girls’ human rights are being violated by the lack of access to high quality abortion care. These include the right to life, the freedom to choose how many children to have, when to have them, right to be free from torture and degrading treatment or punishment as stated by the World Health Organisation” added Kalimbe.
Currently abortion in Malawi is criminilised and abortion can only be done in Government hospitals when the life of pregnant woman is in danger.
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