By Chipo Gudhe

Approximately 70 000 illegal abortions are performed annually in Zimbabwe, a health expert has revealed.

Dr. Mildred Mushunje, the Country Director of SRHR Africa Trust Zimbabwe, made the shocking revelation during a recent event.

Dr. Mushunje stressed the urgent need to amend Zimbabwe’s abortion laws to better protect women from resorting to unsafe, clandestine terminations.

“Seventy thousand illegal abortions are performed in Zimbabwe annually. There are only three circumstances under which abortion is legally permissible in Zimbabwe, according to the Termination of Pregnancy Act: when the pregnancy endangers the life of the mother or baby, in cases of rape, or in instances of incest. This restrictive law limits access to reproductive health services for vulnerable women and girls,” she said.

She added that this restricted access is a significant factor contributing to maternal mortality, as women are dying during unsafe abortion procedures.

“Maternal deaths in Zimbabwe remain high, and unsafe abortions are a major contributor to the country’s maternal mortality rate,” she noted.

The 1977 Termination of Pregnancy Act has long been criticized by human rights activists, who argue that the decades-old law is outdated and fails to adequately protect women and girls. Activists are advocating for amendments to include provisions for safe abortion access, marital rape, and expanded reproductive health services.