By Staff Reporter
Girls’ rights activists have urged the Senate to urgently pass proposed amendments to Zimbabwe’s Termination of Pregnancy Act, arguing that the changes are necessary to protect adolescent girls from unsafe abortions and to bring the law into line with the Constitution.
The call was made on Tuesday by a coalition of organisations working in women’s rights and child protection, who said delays in approving the amendment were putting the lives of minors at risk. The activists also challenged lobbying by some religious groups that have opposed the proposed changes.
“The coalition insisted that policy must be evidence-driven inclusive of public health issues, constitutional law, and not misinformation,” the group said in a statement.
The proposed amendment follows a November 2024 High Court ruling which found that excluding minors from access to safe and legal abortion services was unconstitutional. The court cited Section 53 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom from cruel and degrading treatment.
According to the 2023–24 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey, 23 percent of adolescent girls in the country have experienced pregnancy. In provinces such as Mashonaland Central, the figure rises to 37 percent.
Unsafe abortions remain a major contributor to maternal mortality. The World Health Organization estimates that abortion-related complications account for up to 25 percent of maternal deaths among adolescents and young women under the age of 24.
Girls’ Rights Advocate Dean Mtata said the proposed amendment was not about loosening moral standards but about protecting lives.
“As Christians and members of our communities, we share the deep concern for moral guidance, but we must protect life today, and that means protecting the lives of our girls,” Mtata said. “The proposed amendment is not a policy of moral liberalization; it is a constitutional imperative rooted in the principle that a child’s best interests are paramount in every matter concerning them. We cannot ignore that 25 percent of our tragic maternal deaths are among young women. Denying a minor safe, legal care is cruel and fundamentally un-Christian.”
The coalition rejected claims by opponents of the amendment that abortion would be newly introduced into Zimbabwean law. They said abortion has been permitted under specific conditions since 1977 through the Termination of Pregnancy Act, and described the current amendment as a public health intervention aimed at correcting an unconstitutional gap in the law.
They also dismissed proposals to replace the age of consent with the age of marriage, warning that such a move would have far-reaching legal and social consequences.
Pamella Memory Kadau, a women’s health advocate, said such changes would criminalize consensual adult relationships.
“Policy must be grounded in reality and public health data. With 23 percent of our girls facing pregnancy, the legal structure must provide a safe path, not a death sentence,” Kadau said. “Furthermore, the proposal to criminalize unmarried adult relationships is an unconstitutional overreach that would destroy countless families and cause greater social instability than the issues it claims to address. We urge the Senate to reject any legislative proposal that seeks to criminalize consensual adult sexual activity.”
The activists said safeguarding family values and child welfare required removing barriers to essential health services rather than expanding criminal sanctions.
Loveness Rukuni, executive director of the Women’s Action Group, said lawmakers should be guided by evidence and constitutional obligations when debating the amendment.
“We work in the communities every day, side-by-side with parents and faith leaders. We know the devastating impact of unsafe, backstreet procedures on our young girls,” Rukuni said.
“The Senate must deliberate from a position of truth, evidence, and its constitutional duty to protect all citizens, especially vulnerable women and girls. We trust they will pass the amendment and ensure that no Zimbabwean child is denied their right to health and dignity, as already affirmed by our High Court.”
