By Penelope Paliani Kamanga
Describing the recent High Court ruling as a pivotal advancement for minors’ access to safe abortion services, experts have said there is need to utilise strategic communication to enable vulnerable young individuals to obtain essential reproductive health services without obstacles.
Legal Consultant Mateyu Sisya has hailed the recent High Court ruling as transformative for access to safe abortion services for minors.
“Courtesy of the ruling that the High Court made a few months ago, vulnerable young individuals can now access essential reproductive health services without barriers, including safe abortion. That is a landmark development,” Sisya said.
He said this during a training workshop on strategic communication on SRHR issues, organized by the Centre for Solutions Journalism (CSJ) at Liwonde in Machinga.
“If implemented to the fullest, the ruling’s impact on victims of defilement and rape would contribute to the improvement of maternal healthy. The government simply needs to ensure that all the guidelines are in place without delays,” explained Sisya.
According to Sisya, the judicial decision marks a crucial step forward in protecting the rights and health of minors affected by sexual violence.
“By expanding access to safe abortion, the ruling offers hope and support to those who previously faced immense challenges in seeking care. It signals a shift toward greater justice and compassion in addressing the needs of survivors, empowering communities and stakeholders to access safe and legal reproductive health services,” he said.
The High Court of Malawi ruled in October 2025 that minor survivors of sexual violence who become pregnant have the automatic right to access safe and legal abortion services.
The ruling followed a case filed on behalf of a 14-year-old rape survivor who was initially denied an abortion at a local health facility. Delivered by Justice Mike Tembo in Blantyre, the ruling stated that forcing a child to carry a pregnancy from sexual violence violates the Gender Equality Act and constitutes cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment.
Speaking at the same training, Young Voices Executive Director Kenneth Mtago said it was important for organizations to formulate SRHR messages using youth-friendly language to enable services.
“SRHR advocacy messages should use simple language, not just clinical jargon, so that even youth can understand and act on them.”
Meanwhile, CSJ has issued a strong call for organizations involved in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) activities in Malawi to effectively communicate key messages.
“Effective messages are the ones that compel people to seek sexual and reproductive services and demand their rights,” said CSJ Board Member Prisca Kunsida.
She made the call when she officially opened a training workshop on strategic communications for organizations that are currently implementing Pamoja Projects in Malawi.
“There is a need to make sure that the right messages reach the right people through the right communication platforms,” she said.
She explained that key SRHR issues, including contraceptive use, access to safe abortion, and understanding the current legal framework following the High Court ruling that survivors of sexual violence can access safe abortion, require effective communication.
She emphasized the urgent need for these organizations to place greater emphasis on the issues that deeply impact the lives, dignity, and rights of Malawian people.
Centre for Solutions Journalism (CSJ) and its partners namely Malawi Human Rights Resource Centre (MHRRC), Malawi SRHR Alliance and Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) organised the training with the aim of improving communication on SRHR issues.
