zimbabwe
stats
- According to UNICEF, approximately 70,000 illegal abortions take place in Zimbabwe every year
- 56%: rate of oral contraception use (IRIN)
access to family planning & contraception
- In Zimbabwe, the use of contraceptives is far above the average for sub-saharan Africa. However, Zimbabwean women still face obstacles when seeking access to family planning services.
- Abortion is often used as a method of family planning due to the difficulty of accessing contraceptives
- National laws require parental consent for contraceptives for adolescents.
- The relatively high use of modern contraceptives in Zimbabwe allows women to control the spacing of their children, thereby decreasing family size and the growth rate in the country.
abortion
- The Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1977 permits abortion in cases when:
- the life of the mother is in danger
- the child may suffer permanent physical and/or mental defects
- the child was conceived through rape or incest. (IRIN)
- Legal abortions can only take place at designated hospitals, with the written permission of the hospital superintendent. (IRIN)
- In cases of rape or incest, a signed certificate by a magistrate and a police report are required before the abortion takes place. (IRIN)
- These strict regulations exist in Zimbabwe due in part to pro-life lobbying efforts within this Christian, conservative country. (NYT)
- Contraception and Fertility in Zimbabwe. Rand, 16 Sept. 2010. Web. 19 Nov. 2012.<http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB5013/index1.html>.
- Keller, Bill. Zimbabwe Taking a Lead in Promoting Birth Control. New York Times, 4 Sept. 1994. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/04/world/zimbabwe-taking-a-lead-in-promoting-birth-control.html>.
- Zimbabwe: Abortion Figures Underscore Need for More Reproductive Health Education. IRIN Africa, 30 Mar. 2005. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://www.irinnews.org/Report/53659/ZIMBABWE-Abortion-figures-underscore-need-for-more-reproductive-health-education>.