MSI Zambia advocates for the inclusion of abortion care in Ministry of Health strategy
December 10, 2025
The MSI Zambia team secured a chapter on abortion care in the Ministry of Health’s revised advocacy strategy.
This Communications and Advocacy Strategy on Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health and Nutrition now contains a chapter on comprehensive abortion care. The strategy also includes disability-inclusive language and recognizes persons with disabilities as an audience to reach with reproductive health information. This is significant because it brings the Ministry of Health’s advocacy and communications priorities in line with national commitments, designates increasing awareness of abortion care services, and highlights that unsafe abortion is a public health risk.
MSI Zambia’s advocacy efforts included positioning a pro-choice consultant in the groups drafting the guidelines. This ensured they had a champion at the heart of the process able to advance and defend abortion.
During the initial consultations, some stakeholders strongly opposed the inclusion of abortion care. The team navigated this by encouraging the Assistant Director of Public Health to ensure the Zambia Association of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians led abortion-specific consultations, rather than having a general working group. These expert-led groups ensured discussions around the importance of safe abortion were not obscured by anti-choice rhetoric.
The team argued that omitting comprehensive abortion care would mean the strategy would be incomplete as it is a lifesaving public health component. Positioning this process under a professional body enhanced our credibility, reduced backlash, and ensured the technical accuracy that is needed for sensitive content. MSI Zambia also suggested and supported the Maternal and Child Health Coordinators from all provinces. These groups already understand the burden of unsafe abortion and are more receptive to abortion care. Their participation ensured technical and sub-national input, effectively demonstrating comprehensive national consultation.
Partnerships were also key to this advocacy win. The Safe Abortion Action Group provided a useful platform for MSI Zambia to advocate by highlighting that issues raised were civil society wide. To advance disability inclusion, the team participated with disability-focused organizations. This strengthened the legitimacy of the recommendations and demonstrated government-level endorsement of disability-inclusive reproductive healthcare.
The final approval of these guidelines in 2025 is significant because the inclusion of comprehensive abortion care directs government communications and contributes to reduction of misinformation. Clear stigma-free messaging will encourage women to seek safe services and disability inclusion has helped address longstanding inequities and improves access to reproductive healthcare for a group often excluded from mainstream programming.
