By Michael Gwarisa
Advocates for safe abortion in Zimbabwe, comprising the Health Law Policy Consortium (HLPC) and the Institute for Young Women’s Development (IYWD), with support from the Safe Abortion Action Fund (SAAF), are lobbying for the establishment of a One-Stop Centre for safe abortion services. The initiative aims to address obstacles faced by women and girls in accessing abortion services.
Currently, abortion in Zimbabwe is permitted under the Termination of Pregnancy Act (Chapter 15:10), enacted in 1977. The Act allows abortion in specific circumstances, including when continuing a pregnancy endangers the mother’s life or physical or mental health, when the unborn child is at substantial risk of severe abnormalities, or when the pregnancy results from rape or incest.
Despite these provisions, delays in the referral process often push many women and girls to seek unsafe abortion methods. The proposed One-Stop Centre aims to streamline access by integrating services such as police, clinical, legal, and counseling support under one roof.
What we have noticed is that there are many barriers even for the existing grounds under which a woman can access safe abortion. There are logistical and administrative hurdles,” said Dorcas Chitiyo, Projects Coordinator for the Health Law Policy Consortium (HLPC), in an interview with HealthTimes.
“You find that when a woman reports a case and seeks services, she must first go to the police if it’s a criminal matter. From the police station, she has to go to court, engage with the National Prosecution Authority (NPA), meet with a magistrate, and then wait for a termination certificate. Only after this can she visit a designated public hospital where two medical practitioners must endorse the procedure. Finally, the medical superintendent assigns someone to perform the procedure.”
Chitiyo highlighted the urgency of addressing these barriers. “Safe abortion is an urgent matter. The longer we wait, the more unsafe it becomes. In many cases, a woman is dealing with a criminal offense or violation, and we need to ensure she receives care as quickly as possible. Ideally, a One-Stop Centre would facilitate access to safe abortion services within 48 to 72 hours,” she added.
The HLPC and its partners are in the early stages of engaging stakeholders on the proposed One-Stop Centre. Chitiyo noted that policy-makers have shown interest and a willingness to advocate for improved access to safe abortion services.
“Other actors in the safe-abortion space in Zimbabwe include the Adult Rape Clinic (ARC) and the Women’s Action Group (WAG). Together, we are working to enhance enjoyment of Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) in Zimbabwe,” Chitiyo said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently introduced guidelines on self-administered abortion, stating that clinically eligible women can safely terminate pregnancies at home using a combination of mifepristone and misoprostol without direct supervision from a healthcare provider.
“Unsafe abortion is a public health issue,” said Tinashe Mundawarara, Chairperson of the HLPC. “Our perspective is to push for full and equal access to reproductive health services for women. This includes self-managed abortion, which is safe and supported by evidence.”
Kudakwashe Munemo, Knowledge Management, Documentation, and Advocacy Coordinator at IYWD, applauded advancements in self-managed abortion delivery but stressed the importance of seeking post-abortion care.
“Medically, there have been significant advancements, enabling women to self-administer abortions at home safely,” said Munemo.
Meanwhile, the HLPC and IYWD have developed a position paper on safe abortion, emphasizing the need for legal and policy reforms to ensure access to safe abortion in Zimbabwe.
The paper argues that women and girls should exercise their constitutional rights to health and dignity, including making decisions about reproduction, termination of pregnancy, and bodily autonomy. The proposed reforms call for allowing termination of pregnancies up to 12 weeks gestation at approved public medical facilities using safe and medically approved methods, including medication and procedures performed by trained clinicians.
The advocates also recommend expanding the grounds for legal abortion to include socio-economic factors and the mental health of the mother.
