ENHANCING REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES
FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS IN ZOMBA

Amplify Change Project

Project Background

Unsafe abortion remains one of the leading causes of preventable illness and death among adolescent girls and young women in Malawi. In many communities, discussions around abortion and reproductive rights are silenced by stigma, cultural beliefs, and misinformation. Even where the law allows access such as in cases involving threats to a woman’s life or pregnancies resulting from sexual violence many young women lack accurate information about their rights or do not know where to access safe, quality services. Healthcare providers also face gaps in knowledge, clarity, and confidence when navigating legal provisions and delivering Comprehensive Abortion Care (CAC).

In Zomba, these barriers disproportionately affect girls and young women aged 10–24, many of whom rely on unsafe methods due to fear, secrecy, or lack of accessible services. Recognizing the urgent need for community-driven solutions, Her Liberty and GAYO, with support from Amplify Change, launched a 24-month initiative aimed at strengthening legal awareness, expanding safe service access, and transforming harmful social norms surrounding abortion. The project is grounded in Malawi’s SRHR policy commitments, recent court rulings affirming reproductive rights, and international human-rights standards aimed at protecting women and girls from unsafe abortion.

Goal

To improve awareness, access, and uptake of safe and legal Comprehensive Abortion Care (CAC) for adolescent girls and young women in Zomba by strengthening community knowledge, enhancing provider capacity, and promoting rights-based advocacy that supports national abortion law reform efforts.

Goal

  • Increased Community Awareness and Legal Literacy
    Communities, youth, and local leaders will have a clear understanding of Malawi’s abortion legal framework, including grounds for legal access and the dangers of unsafe abortion. Peer educators, trained in SRHR legal provisions, will lead regular community outreach sessions to normalize dialogue and dispel myths.
  • Improved Access to Youth-Friendly Comprehensive Abortion Care Services
    Young women and girls in T/A Malemia will experience greater access to safe, confidential CAC and Post-Abortion Care (PAC) services through strengthened capacity of trained health providers, quarterly outreaches, and improved referral pathways.
  • Reduced Stigma and Transformed Social Norms
    Community stigma surrounding abortion will gradually decrease through continuous engagement with traditional leaders, religious leaders, youth champions, and media partners. Open dialogue and visibility materials will foster supportive environments where young women can seek care without fear.
  • Strengthened Evidence Base for Policy Reform
    Through community outcome harvesting, data collection, and perception surveys, the project will generate new evidence on barriers to safe abortion, service availability, and community attitudes. This evidence will contribute to a policy brief informing national advocacy and ongoing abortion law reform discussions.
  • Enhanced Collaboration Across Key Stakeholders
    Multi-sector partnerships with the Zomba District Health Office, district council, media houses, youth-led groups, and other PAMOJA grantees will strengthen regional SRHR coordination and support long-term sustainability beyond the project period.