A Comparative Study Of Men And Women’s Attitudes Towards The Legalization Of Availability Of Abortion On Demand: The Case Of Youth Centres In Katutura, Windhoek

Abstract

Unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortions are two of the most controversial topics in Namibia. Due to these controversies, the debate on the legalization of the availability of abortion on demand should be brought back into the spotlight.

The aim of this research was to unveil men’s and women’s attitudes towards the legalization of the availability of abortion on demand. The target group were youth from five Katutura youth centres. The data were collected with the use of closed-ended questionnaires.

The reviewed literature indicates that abortions have always existed throughout human history. Nonetheless, the literature indicates that restrictive abortion laws have been proven to fail in regulating abortion. The findings confirmed the occurrence of illegal abortions in Namibia. The study has revealed that despite the reality of illegal abortions, respondents would not necessarily advocate for abortion to be legalized on demand. The statistics of the respondents who would advocate for abortion on demand were significantly low; however, the percentage for females was higher than that of males. The study found that despite the knowledge of the risks associated with illegal abortions and the struggle that women and girls go through to terminate unwanted pregnancies, the majority of respondents would still advocate for the current restrictive abortion laws. It further revealed that the target group would not necessarily advocate for abortion on demand. This confirms previous government assertions that most Namibians would not favour a change in the law. On the other hand, a significant number of respondents revealed that the current restrictions on abortion have only proven to be a failure. The results are therefore contradictory.

This study has attempted to bring to light the importance of legalizing abortion on demand as part of promoting maternal health. Abortion remains a controversial issue. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher recommends that there is a need to educate society about the actual dangers that are associated with unsafe and illegal abortions. The study further recommends that there is a need to advocate for women’s reproductive rights. Women need to control their fertility and whether or not to have a baby still remains a struggle as it is not a choice.