By Paschal Norbert
LILONGWE, NOVEMBER 19, 2025 (CISA)- Religious leaders in Malawi have issued a strongly worded joint statement rejecting the recent High Court judgment on abortion, warning that it sets a “worrying precedent” for the country and threatens what they describe as the nation’s moral fabric.
In a collective declaration dated November 12, 2025, the Malawi Conference of Catholic Bishops (MCCB), the Malawi Council of Churches (MCC), the Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM) and the Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) reaffirmed their unified stance on the sanctity of life and called for national resistance to any expansion of abortion access.
The November 2025 High Court ruling allows for safe abortions for survivors of sexual violence, a partial victory for abortion rights advocates while the proposed Malawi abortion bill, known as the Termination of Pregnancy (TOP) Bill, seeks to liberalize the country’s restrictive abortion law, which currently only allows for abortions to save a woman’s life. The bill would permit abortions in cases of rape, incest, fetal malformation, or when the woman’s physical or mental health is threatened.
The religious leaders said they are exploring legal avenues to challenge the ruling and are engaging the Government through the Attorney General’s office to consider an appeal. They also urged Members of Parliament to firmly reject the Termination of Pregnancy Bill should it resurface, warning against “any attempt to manipulate our laws to justify the taking of innocent unborn lives.”
Expressing concern over the recent High Court decision, the religious groups stated: “The mother bodies; stand united in expressing deep concern over the recent High Court judgement on abortion, which we believe sets worrying precedent for the protection of both mothers and unborn children in our country.”
The leaders emphasized that they are taking concrete legal steps, noting: “We are consulting our legal counsel to explore appropriate steps in response to this development. At the same time, we are engaging with the Government, through the Office of the Attorney General as the principal legal adviser to the Government and one of the Defendants in the case, to explore the possibility of appealing against this judgement.”
They further expressed hope that the Government would act to protect Malawi’s cultural and religious values stating that “We remain hopeful that the Government known for its respect for the cultural, moral, and religious values cherished by the majority of Malawians will act accordingly to safeguard our laws from alterations that undermine the will and values of the people. Decisions of such magnitude, touching on fundamental moral and ethical principles, must not rest solely on the opinion of a single judge but must reflect the conscience of our nation.”
The religious leaders issued a direct call to Members of Parliament, urging them to resist any attempts to reintroduce or support abortion-related legislation.
“We call upon our Members of Parliament to once again, as did their predecessors in rejecting the proposed Termination of Pregnancy (TOP) Bill, stand united in defending life and resisting any attempt to manipulate our laws to justify the taking of innocent unborn lives,” they appealed.
The faith leaders further focused on wider ethical concerns, acknowledging the hardships many women face but insisting that abortion “is not the solution.”
“As faith leaders, we are fully aware of the hardships faced by women and girls who experience unplanned or difficult pregnancies. However, we firmly believe that ending the life of an unborn child is not the solution. Instead, as a nation, we must foster honest, compassionate and constructive dialogue to address these challenges, finding ways to support vulnerable girls and women while upholding the sanctity of life for both mother and child,” they stated.
Calling the nation to moral vigilance, they urged “citizens across Malawi to stand in solidarity to defend life, family, and moral integrity against any form of assault. We hold, without reservation, that life begins at conception and is sacred. No one has the moral or divine right to terminate life arbitrarily.”
The leaders also warned that expanding the legal grounds for abortion could open the door to abortion-on-demand.
“Our current laws already provide adequate protection for both mothers and unborn children. Any attempt to expand the grounds for abortion beyond what is currently permitted would open the door to abortion on demand, which aligns with the long-term objectives of global pro-abortion movements, a path we must not take,” they said, describing the issue as a struggle between light and darkness.
