In Malawi, the problem of women still abandoning newborn babies is continuing to pose a threat, subjecting these infants to increased vulnerability. The causes of the increase in this issue vary from societal, economic, and personal factors. Yet, amidst the challenges, there are possible solutions that may help to eliminate this issue.
Before jumping into the causes and solutions, I have come across some of the videos on the internet showing these abandoned babies in places like fields, dumpsters, alongside roads and, for the worse of it, in pit-latrines. The reasons women dump newborns include lack of support, financial constraints, lack of knowledge on family planning and lack of confidence to access contraceptives. In other cases, the baby may have been conceived through rape, making it to be unwanted, which may drive someone to be ashamed and hide the birth. Notably, such acts are not only emotionally distressing but they also carry legal consequences under Malawi's Child Care, Protection, and Justice Act.
However, as it is that every problem has a solution which lessens or ends it at all costs, there are many solutions to this issue, for instance, calling for better social services by empowering women with knowledge and skills to be self-sufficient, improved access to reproductive health education, and support networks for women going through such, among others. It is decisive to identify the causes first and later propose better solutions for the issue.
To add to that, some organisations and individuals who are responsible for child care and protection in this country, urge those who have unwanted pregnancies to either give up the baby for adoption after giving birth or abort during its early stages. In Malawi, the High Court reaffirmed the statutory protections for legal abortion under narrow circumstances as in most countries these abortion laws are legal under certain conditions, and they vary widely, for example, to save a woman's life, preserving mental health and in cases of rape or incest, according to Wikipedia.
As the issue of abandoning newborns is continuing, measures must be taken. By fostering a supportive environment, providing education, and advocating for comprehensive reproductive health services, we can create a society where every child is welcomed and cared for. Organizations and individuals alike must collaborate to ensure that legal frameworks, such as those governing abortion, are clear and accessible to those in need. Through collective effort, we can strive to build a future where the abandonment of newborns becomes rare or stops at all.
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