It is about time religious leaders change their mindset towards safe abortion given their great influence in communities which could help save many lives lost to dangerous and unsafe abortion practises.
By Kuda Pembere
This was said during the International Safe Abortion Day commemorations held on Friday. Organisations in the consortium which commemorated the International Day of Safe Abortion included SheDecides, Population Services Zimbabwe (PSZ), SafAIDS with support from Swedish Embassy. The International Safe Abortion Day is marked every 28 September.
It emerged from documentaries from PSZ and Katswe Sistahood that church leaders are split on the notion of safe abortion. Some were pro-choice (pro safe abortion) noting it was not fair for young girls to die yet the church could have prevented these deaths prevented by promoting safe abortion.
Generally, church leaders and African Traditional Religionists are opposed to the notion of abortion. However, Reverend Ngonidzashe Mtume told attendants that the word Abortion does not exist in the Bible.
Theologically speaking, the word Abortion is not found in the Bible,” he said.
Reverend Maxwell Kapachawo said it sounded hypocritical of church leaders to discourage safe abortion for their congregants to go the dangerous, unsafe and fatal route.
It also came out that Muslims allow for safe abortion provided it is done within the first 120 days of pregnancy.
SheDecides Programmes Officer Isheanesu Chikumbu said the International Safe Abortion Day’s purpose is mainly anchored on the belief that a girl has the right to decide what to do with her body, her life and her future.
“Abortion is a conversation about choice. As SheDecides, we are saying every woman has the right to decide whether or not they want to have a child, and when? The conversation is about safe abortion as an essential health service that is available for everyone especially those vulnerable and marginalised,” she said
She also said it was important to engage religious leaders to help them shape advocacy on safe abortion given they command a large following within their communities.
