By ELNA Kundishora
Freedom of choice describes an individual’s opportunity and autonomy to perform an action selected from at least two available options, unconstrained by external parties.
The term “freedom of choice” usually emerges in abortion debates in defense of the position that a woman has a right to determine whether she will proceed with or terminate a pregnancy.
Statistics show that in developing countries, more than 22,000 women die from complications from unsafe abortion each year, and 6.9 million are treated for complications. Thus, in an effort to reduce abortion related deaths, some countries legalized abortion.
In countries where abortion has not been legalised many women choose to undergo informal or “backstreet” abortions.
In Zimbabwe, abortion is illegal except under conditions of rape, incest, fetal abnormalities or maternal conditions dangerous to the well being of the mother. Unfortunately, these circumstances force women, who are usually adolescents or younger women into seeking other recourses through illegal routes, hence end up having unsafe abortions. Many women and girls are driven into the shadows because of Zimbabwe’s restrictive abortion laws and a lack of clarity about their provisions.
It is my submission that Zimbabwe should decriminalise and legalise abortion within a broader sexual and reproductive health and rights framework, to allow access to safe abortion services. Women should be given the right to reproductive autonomy. Further, the proposed legislation should clearly state the government’s duties to ensure access to termination of pregnancy services with specific reference to the allocation of resources to ensure that appropriate facilities are freely available.
However, a pressing issue that the Zimbabwe’s government has to deal with is our health system which is currently in shambles. One would have thought that after what transpired during COVID they ought to have known that the health system is a priority!
