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Zimbabwe Parliament passes major amendments to abortion law
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The National Assembly has approved sweeping amendments to the Termination of Pregnancy Act [Chapter 15:10] (1977), marking a historic move toward modernising Zimbabwe's reproductive health framework. The changes, introduced under the Medical Services Bill, 2025, seek to align the nearly five-decade-old legislation with the Constitution of Zimbabwe (2013) and contemporary public health standards.
The amendments, sponsored by Dzivaresekwa legislator Hon. Edwin Mushoriwa, were passed in the National Assembly on 23 October 2025 and now await consideration by the Senate before being sent to the President for assent.
Hon. Mushoriwa said the reforms were long overdue and represented a necessary shift toward safe, accessible, and rights-based reproductive healthcare. "The amendments modernise the Termination of Pregnancy Act to bring it into alignment with the Constitution and current public health realities," he said. "They aim to promote safe, accessible, and rights-based reproductive health services, particularly for women and girls."
Critics have for years described the 1977 Act as outdated and restrictive, arguing that it has contributed to high rates of unsafe abortions and preventable maternal deaths, especially among young girls.
Under the revised law, girls under 18 will be able to access termination on demand within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. After 12 weeks, they may still undergo the procedure under standard medical or legal grounds, such as danger to life or pregnancy resulting from unlawful sexual acts. Lawmakers said the provision recognises that "a child cannot be expected to bear a child" and seeks to curb unsafe abortions while enabling girls to continue their education.
For adult women, termination will be permitted up to 20 weeks under specific conditions, including risk to life or health, severe foetal abnormality, or pregnancies resulting from rape or incest. Beyond 20 weeks, termination is only allowed if the woman's life is in danger or in cases of serious foetal malformation.
In a major policy shift, the amendments emphasise consent and bodily autonomy, stipulating that only the woman's consent is required - even for minors. Parents or guardians will no longer have the authority to override a girl's decision to terminate a pregnancy. Advocates hailed this change as a breakthrough for women's rights and reproductive freedom.
The Bill also removes bureaucratic hurdles that previously delayed procedures. The requirement for magistrates' approval and multiple medical certificates has been scrapped, a reform expected to prevent tragedies like that of rape survivor Mildred Mapingure, who was forced to carry a pregnancy to term due to procedural delays.
Emergency terminations will continue to be allowed where delay would endanger the life or health of the pregnant person. All procedures must be conducted by qualified medical practitioners in designated institutions, which will be required to maintain detailed records and report to the Ministry of Health.
Hon. Mushoriwa said the reforms were designed to harmonise Zimbabwe's reproductive health laws with constitutional rights. "These changes ensure that our laws respect the rights to health, dignity, education, and bodily autonomy as guaranteed by the Constitution," he said. "They also aim to reduce unsafe abortions and maternal deaths while replacing colonial-era restrictions with a human-rights-based approach."
Public health experts and women's rights groups have welcomed the amendments, describing them as a progressive and life-saving intervention. Zimbabwe continues to record high rates of unsafe abortions, often due to lack of access to safe and legal services. The updated framework is expected to simplify procedures, expand access, and ease the burden on both women and healthcare providers.
The passage of the Bill in the National Assembly marks a landmark moment in Zimbabwe's legislative history. However, the reforms will only take effect once the Senate approves the Medical Services Bill and the President signs it into law.
Until then, the 1977 provisions remain in force, but there is growing optimism that Zimbabwe is finally on the path to a modern, rights-based reproductive health law that better protects the lives and dignity of women and girls.
The amendments, sponsored by Dzivaresekwa legislator Hon. Edwin Mushoriwa, were passed in the National Assembly on 23 October 2025 and now await consideration by the Senate before being sent to the President for assent.
Hon. Mushoriwa said the reforms were long overdue and represented a necessary shift toward safe, accessible, and rights-based reproductive healthcare. "The amendments modernise the Termination of Pregnancy Act to bring it into alignment with the Constitution and current public health realities," he said. "They aim to promote safe, accessible, and rights-based reproductive health services, particularly for women and girls."
Critics have for years described the 1977 Act as outdated and restrictive, arguing that it has contributed to high rates of unsafe abortions and preventable maternal deaths, especially among young girls.
Under the revised law, girls under 18 will be able to access termination on demand within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. After 12 weeks, they may still undergo the procedure under standard medical or legal grounds, such as danger to life or pregnancy resulting from unlawful sexual acts. Lawmakers said the provision recognises that "a child cannot be expected to bear a child" and seeks to curb unsafe abortions while enabling girls to continue their education.
For adult women, termination will be permitted up to 20 weeks under specific conditions, including risk to life or health, severe foetal abnormality, or pregnancies resulting from rape or incest. Beyond 20 weeks, termination is only allowed if the woman's life is in danger or in cases of serious foetal malformation.
In a major policy shift, the amendments emphasise consent and bodily autonomy, stipulating that only the woman's consent is required - even for minors. Parents or guardians will no longer have the authority to override a girl's decision to terminate a pregnancy. Advocates hailed this change as a breakthrough for women's rights and reproductive freedom.
The Bill also removes bureaucratic hurdles that previously delayed procedures. The requirement for magistrates' approval and multiple medical certificates has been scrapped, a reform expected to prevent tragedies like that of rape survivor Mildred Mapingure, who was forced to carry a pregnancy to term due to procedural delays.
Emergency terminations will continue to be allowed where delay would endanger the life or health of the pregnant person. All procedures must be conducted by qualified medical practitioners in designated institutions, which will be required to maintain detailed records and report to the Ministry of Health.
Hon. Mushoriwa said the reforms were designed to harmonise Zimbabwe's reproductive health laws with constitutional rights. "These changes ensure that our laws respect the rights to health, dignity, education, and bodily autonomy as guaranteed by the Constitution," he said. "They also aim to reduce unsafe abortions and maternal deaths while replacing colonial-era restrictions with a human-rights-based approach."
Public health experts and women's rights groups have welcomed the amendments, describing them as a progressive and life-saving intervention. Zimbabwe continues to record high rates of unsafe abortions, often due to lack of access to safe and legal services. The updated framework is expected to simplify procedures, expand access, and ease the burden on both women and healthcare providers.
The passage of the Bill in the National Assembly marks a landmark moment in Zimbabwe's legislative history. However, the reforms will only take effect once the Senate approves the Medical Services Bill and the President signs it into law.
Until then, the 1977 provisions remain in force, but there is growing optimism that Zimbabwe is finally on the path to a modern, rights-based reproductive health law that better protects the lives and dignity of women and girls.
Source - HealthTimes
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