Child protection and access to safe abortion

By Memory Pamella Kadau In the past few weeks, two unrelated developments have captured media attention and triggered thoughts about safe abortion and child protection. The first development was the lawsuit filed by Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA), challenging the validity of some sections of the Termination of Pregnancy (ToP) Act. The second case was the raid and arrest of a cult which operated on a farm in Nyabira, some 30 kilometres west of Harare. Some 251 minors stayed at the farm where they were denied access to…

Read More

Unpacking Zimbabwe’s post abortion care responsibility and gaps

By Memory Pamela Kadau Across the world, abortion related complications constitute part of the major reasons women seek emergency obstetric care. According to the Post Abortion Care Consortium, Post abortion care (PAC) consists of emergency treatment for complications related to spontaneous or induced abortions. It also includes family planning and birth spacing counseling, and provision of family planning methods for the prevention of further mistimed or unplanned pregnancies that may result in repeat induced abortions. Comprehensive PAC also includes services such as medical assessment for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS.…

Read More