Perceptions of abortion within the context of Unhu/Ubuntu philosophy, reproductive health education and educational leadership

Abstract

There are several contentious issues that have remained on the international agenda for many decades now. These include the death penalty, legalization of euthanasia, legalization of homosexuality and legalization of abortion. There are general disagreements on the need to abolish the death penalty and or to legalize abortion. Some countries in Africa have laws that allow for abortion for specific reasons, while others prohibit abortion altogether. Some of the reasons that have found acceptance for abortion in some African countries include rape, poor health, and socio- economic reasons. Among the countries that have legalized abortion without any restrictions are Cape Verde, Mozambique, Tunisia and South Africa. Among other reasons, legalization of abortion is premised on the recognition of women’s rights to make decisions on matters that affect them. In Zimbabwe, there is an on-going debate on whether abortion can be legalized without restrictions. The paper examines the implications of abortion within the context of cultural practices, the Unhu/Ubuntu Philosophy, reproductive health education and educational leadership. The study used mixed research methods. A sample of one hundred and twenty participants was opportunistically selected. It comprised parents, school heads, university lecturers, university students and teachers. The participants were sampled from Harare and Chegutu in Zimbabwe. The sample was categorized based on age, gender, and educational qualifications. These three variables were considered important as they were assumed to have a bearing on the respondents’ views and opinions on abortion. Interviews, questionnaires and focus groups were used to generate data. These views and opinions were analyzed guided by the Unhu/Ubuntu Philosophy. The study concluded that abortion was generally perceived as some form of murder and culturally unacceptable within the context of unhu/ubuntu philosophy. The study noted that while productive health education is important in improving people’s perceptions, culture and religion remain central to people’s perceptions of abortion. Abortion remains a contentious issue that requires wider consultation in Zimbabwe.