Chiefs back abortion bill, urge Malawi MPs to pass law on Termination of Pregnancy
Some chiefs in the Southern Region have backed an amendment of the abortion law that allows for the termination of unwanted pregnancies under certain conditions and are persuading members of Parliament to pass the Termina pf Pregnancy Bill when it is tabled for debate during the current sitting of the National Assembly.
Under the yet to be enacted Termination of Pregnancy Bill, expectant mothers in Malawi would be afforded the opportunity to seek abortion in certain circumstances, without having to resort to backstreet procedures that have led to the death of scores of women.
These circumstances include, rape, incest or defilement or when the pregnancy poses a threat to the woman’s health or when there is evidence of a severe malformation of the foetus.
Chief Chikumbu from Mulanje and other traditional leaders including Chief Govati of Mwanza, Chimombo of Nsanje, back the idea of allowing safe abortions after they held a day-long meeting in Blantyre.
“Many women are dying from complications that could be prevented if we make our laws restrictive,” said Chikumbu.
A 23- year-old Olivia Mfalinya is excited about the chief’s support on abortion.
“Most women who are raped or impregnated will have a choice whether to keep the pregnancy or not, “Mfalinya said. “It is painful to sometimes keep the pregnancy when you don’t know the man or that man is on the run. So, such laws will be necessary.”
Chiradzulu West legislator Mathews Ngwale, who is Parliamentary Health Committee chairperson, is listed to table the highly contentious Bill.
Ngwale argues that relaxing the abortion law will give women freedom to seek safe abortion without fear of being prosecuted.
Under Malawi’s penal code, abortion is illegal. However, studies show that the number of Malawian women treated every year for complications arising from unsafe procedures is on the rise. One reason for the increase is that more women are resorting to crude methods, such as using unsterilized instruments to abort.
In addition to that, the use of contraceptives is prohibited in Malawi and this means that more young women are likely to have unwanted pregnancies.
Despite restrictive abortion laws, over 141 000 women induce abortion every year in Malawi, according to findings of a Strategic Assessment of Unsafe Abortion in Malawi (2009).
Religious Network for Choice (RNC), a group that promotes freedoms and human rights, also supports the Bill.
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Amafumu enawa angathe kunena motelo mwina chifukwa cha umbuli
Kusazidziwa zaWORLD ORDER
Kapena apatsidwa ndalama
KUPUSA KUPUSA KUPUSA KUPUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSSSA
Basi ndasiya kuphemphera. Christianity was brought here by the white man and the same white man is coming back to talk about same sex marriages, gender, abortion etc. I am going back to Dambwe to promote my culture.
Too bad for Chiefs to support the bill, it just shows how they are failing to manage their communities. can they once think like humans
BLM has been terminating pregnancies.
Nothing good can come from
This Chief when her nudes were circulating on social media
Uyu anazolowera za uhule basi….. busy kumayanika maliseche ake kuti dziko liwone anganene za nzeru??????
Pastor Chakwera misunderstood separation of Powers. Can someone school. DPP is capturing on that ignorance by being silent on the arrest. What will happen later is that the suspects will sue Government and be awarded millions of cash. The longer silence continues the more evidence will destroyed and buried. The Malawi Guptas will later smile with cash in the pockets for unlawful arrests. Chisale will be 1000x richer. Malawians will fall into a deeper pit of despair. I am one of the poor Malawians who is slowly being frustrated with Tonse Government.
Nkhani yake yomweyi yochotsa mimbayi??? Ma khadeti zinthu zikuvutadi eti, inu mumati muzipitilira kupanga supply kuboma samusa mmodzi pa K43000??? nkhuku imodzi kupanga supply kuboma at K35000.00
Chief chikumbu is very useless, little wonder, in 1973 he was slapped by gwanda chakuwamba during mcp convention in mzuzu.
A Good example is this underage girl who has been impregnated and infected by her uncle. She needs to have a choice to keep or abort because there are so many long term psychological effects. Even suicide if forced to keep that child.
HOW ABOUT THE UNBORN BABY? UR ONLY THINKING ABOUT THE MOTHER AND NOT THE CHILD………… WHAT A BLOODCLOT!
Ever heard of emergency pills???? Ask people will tell you no need to wait for abortion
this is a 14 year old victim of sexual abuse and it has been discovered much later, maybe she was too scared to disclose, who knows. Emergency pills within 72 hrs
You guys don’t know what you are doing
How will she handle the stress that some day she made a choice to kill an unborn baby?
This biggest thing is its a choice and not a forced decision. Things are easier to handle when you choose and not when forced upon you.