Legalise abortion youths call on government...

Young people seem to be calling for the government to legalise abortion and make such services available in public health centres, following shocking statistics from a report by local NGOs that at least 20 000 women die annually during illegal abortions and child birth.

In conversations the National Youth Development Trust (NYDT) had with young people on facebook, various solutions were suggested and were centred around ensuring an effective health delivery system and legalising abortion.  

“There's need for a realistic approach in dealing with it now that it is known that women opt to abort for one reason or the other,” said Clemence Leonard.

Bukhosi Moyo who suggested that legalizing abortion would be the solution, said that this isssue is now a matter of reality vs. principles. “Yes we have our own principles that are against abortion but what is the reality? It’s better to lose one than to lose both the mother and the child,” he said.

Another young person, Khulekani Bethule also supported the idea of legalising abortion as a solution stating that all these deaths are clear testimony that many women are desperate to terminate unwanted pregnancies due to various reasons. “Of course we may say why are they not using preventive measures such as condoms but let’s face reality guys, most people still practise unprotected sex with less concern about the outcome until it is too late. So my opinion is to make abortion accessible to any women who need it rather than to keep losing lives,” he added. He also said that 20 000 is too big a number that only reflects official statistics adding that the number is even higher if it is to include unreported cases.

Another view was that the government needs to invest heavily on the health delivery system and prioritize messages of prevention to young people rather than wait for curative measures such as availing abortion facilities in hospitals.

“All it calls for is for the government to re-look into reproductive health options in Zimbabwe. Also, the number of women that die whilst giving birth is a sign that services offered by hospitals are poor and need to improve,” said Unozivashe Hove.      

Others also felt that legalising abortion would promote immorality and was therefore not a solution. The NYDT continues to create conversation with young people on various issues that are of interest to them. Follow these conversations on our facebook page Nydt Zimbabwe.