1681 Unlawful abortions in Zambezi: Namibia

ZAMBEZI area social worker Ladislas Chikwereti recorded 1,681 illicit abortions in the last six years. During the same time, 10 legal abortions were documented, he noted. Chikwereti spoke during a Katima Mulilo meeting of the standing committee on gender equality, social development, and family matters.

On Tuesday, the committee began public hearings in the Zambezi area on three petitions submitted by the National Assembly on the legalisation of abortion in Namibia and the request to liberalise or change the present Abortion and Sterilisation Act No 2 of 1975.

Chikwereti said abortion and sterilisation laws should stay the same and the government should reform other laws to prevent illicit abortions. Legalizing a community issue is not the answer. We should enhance community family planning efforts to avoid unplanned births. "Mistakes happen, but abortions aren't the answer. He thought the act's particular features are good.

Physical, psychological, and emotional long-term implications of abortion should be examined.

Regina Ndopu-Lubinda, chief regional officer for Zambezi, claimed elderly males are preying on illicit abortions. Young girls are fragile and unable to make their own judgments.

Some of these youngsters are raped without knowing it. They're in a relationship. “The exclusions in the legislation won't apply to them since they were in a relationship with the impregnate,” she added.

"This means we are abandoning 1681 vulnerable girls to have dangerous abortions because of our no-abortion attitude, and the government won't care for them." The same government gives healthcare to killers. We shouldn't abandon these vulnerable children to older guys in society. We haven't done enough as a society if we're suggesting they should be punished by the law.

“The same culture that opposes abortion looks down on a youngster seeking family planning,” she remarked.

Pastor Karlos Kaumunika backed the administration, stating abortion and sterilisation laws require no change. Abortion is murder and evil. Rape, incest, and life-threatening health concerns are already outliers, thus there's no need. Elvis Liwaka disagreed, claiming that abortion should be legalised since it happens even if it's illegal. "Illegal abortions are risky and may lead to death."

Every pregnancy should be terminated if it's not intended. A legal abortion won't be used by everyone. Take alcohol, which is legal but not consumed by everyone. Even though cannabis is illegal, individuals nevertheless smoke it.

In 2021, Dr. David Emvula informed a parliamentary session that 14 Namibian women died from botched abortions between March 2012 and April 2018. He estimated that 7,000 unsafe abortions were conducted in 2017. Residents of Rundu were split on abortion legislation change.

Religious authorities opposed it, but young people were ambivalent. This was disclosed during public consultation sessions in the town by the parliamentary standing committee on gender equality, social development, and family matters.

The committee, which has begun public hearings nationally, held consultative sessions in Rundu, Kavango East, on Tuesday on three petitions submitted by the National Assembly to change the Abortion and Sterilisation Act.

Pastor Benni Muller of Revival Christian Centre stated Namibia has a fair constitution and should not depart from it. Even if the statute was approved in 1975 and implemented by the previous administration, the present law allows legal abortions in certain instances, he noted.

Let's not suggest the item is ancient or obsolete. In Namibia, abortion is legal, however there are requirements that must be met.

Johanna Magano of the United Methodist Church advised, "Do not murder." A person's carelessness can't end a life. If the government took care of unwed mothers, that would be better than pushing abortion. Local entrepreneur Selma Augustinus said if the government can't give free contraception and sanitary pads, it can't prevent abortion.

She argued abortion counselling would cost the taxpayer. Augustinus wondered whether the government could pay for it. She argued abortion harms women. She told males to assist women, not advocate for them.