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Rethinking abortion law reform in Malawi: a multi-method study
Carmen Hall1, Judith Daire2, Delia Hendrie3
1Postgraduate student, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia carmen.hall1@postgrad.curtin.edu.au.
Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters
|July 27, 2026
Summary
Malawi
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Reproductive Health Law
- Policy Studies
Background:
- Malawi has highly restrictive abortion laws, despite advocacy efforts.
- Previous reform attempts, like the 2015 Termination of Pregnancy Bill, have stalled.
- Other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have liberalized abortion laws with less advocacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine policy processes used by advocates for abortion law reform in Malawi.
- To identify potential strategies for advancing abortion law liberalization in Malawi.
- To reduce mortality associated with unsafe abortions in Malawi.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative case study utilizing document analysis (READ approach).
- Semi-structured interviews with 14 key informants involved in the reform process.
- Thematic analysis using Bacchi's 'What's the problem represented to be?' (WPR) framework.
Main Results:
- Identified evidence-informed strategies for effective advocacy.
- Strategies include coordinated advocacy, using demographic/lived-experience data, reframing language, community engagement, strategic timing, litigation, and adequate funding.
- Comparative insights from sub-Saharan African countries highlight reform drivers.
Conclusions:
- Coordinated, evidence-based advocacy is crucial for abortion law reform in Malawi.
- Strategic approaches are needed to overcome barriers and advance liberalization.
- Reforming abortion laws can significantly reduce unsafe abortion-related mortality.
