Proposal to ease Malawi’s strict abortion laws faces religious opposition

Malawi allows abortion only when it is necessary to save a woman’s life, but some MPs are contradicting this law change. Lawmakers in Malawi are preparing to debate a bill that would ease the country’s strict restrictions on abortion, but they face rigid resistance from opposite powerful religious groups. They presently allow abortion only when it is necessary to save a woman’s life and has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the world, in part because so many women tend to dangerous backstreet terminations.

Now some lawmakers are pushing for a bill that would only allow abortions in cases of rape, incest, or where the pregnancy will make the mother’s physical or mental health. It will be tabled in parliament before the current session ends next month. But religious leaders in the mainly Christian country strongly oppose widening access to abortion and are threatening to protest if the new bill is tabled.

Data source: Reuters