Africa-Press – Malawi. Health rights group Sexual Reproductive Justice Network (SEJUN) has issued a blistering call to the Malawi Government, demanding urgent implementation of safe abortion services for minors who fall victim to sexual violence—following a landmark Malawi High Court ruling affirming their right to access such care.
In its statement, SEJUN says the ruling should jolt government ministries and agencies into action, warning that without swift and coordinated implementation, the judgement will remain “a hollow victory” for thousands of girls who continue to suffer the brutal aftermath of rape, defilement, and incest.
The High Court ruling acknowledges the undeniable, long-ignored need for comprehensive healthcare and reproductive justice for sexually abused minors. It states unequivocally that victims must be able to access safe, legal abortion as a “vital component of their healthcare.”
Dr. Godfrey Kangaude, one of SEJUN’s key advocates, hailed the judgement as “a landmark moment for justice and rights for defiled and incest victims in Malawi,” but cautioned that without immediate government intervention through the Ministries of Health, Gender and Justice, and the Malawi Human Rights Commission, the ruling risks becoming meaningless.
“Too many girls are still being denied safe abortion services despite the law. The government must act—now,” he warned.
SEJUN Co-Chairperson Miriam Chilemba said the ruling restores dignity to minors who for years were left stranded by a health system unwilling or unprepared to provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services guaranteed under the Gender Equality Act.
“No girl should be forced to carry the trauma of her defilement—literally. This ruling brings hope, but hope alone is not enough. Implementation must start immediately,” she said.
Religious Leaders Network for Choice National Coordinator, Rev. Cliff Nyekanyeka, also welcomed the judgement, saying faith leaders should stand for the dignity of survivors.
“If we say life is sacred, then a girl’s body is sacred too. No one has the right to violate her—and certainly no one has the right to force her to keep a pregnancy born of violence,” he argued.
SEJUN has since urged government officials, MPs, healthcare providers, and civil society to urgently work together on a national framework that guarantees access, protects survivors, and enforces the ruling without delay.
“The time for action is now. The lives and futures of countless girls and women depend on it,” the organisation stressed.
On October 28, 2025, the High Court ruled that girls who have experienced sexual violence are entitled to obtain safe abortions without hindrance under Section 19 of the Gender Equality Act. The court emphasised that forcing a defiled girl to keep a pregnancy she wishes to terminate is “harsh and inhumane.”
The judge further reaffirmed that the Gender Equality Act was enacted precisely to safeguard the sexual and reproductive health rights of all individuals—including the most vulnerable.
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