One morning, as I lay in bed defrosting, a thought crossed my mind… I cannot miss my contraceptive appointment at the hospital. Again. 

A sharp fear followed. I felt it in my chest. What if I fall pregnant? And what if I have to have the baby, with no options either way?

Then I thought of the women in far worse situations: girls who fall pregnant through manipulation, abandonment, or coercion. Women who are forced into motherhood or unsafe abortions. Women who suffer quietly because society denies them choice.

Our politicians are often heard saying that Lesotho is a Christian nation.

I am Christian. I understand the moral dilemma that surrounds abortion. But faith is a personal choice, it should not be weaponized to control others. If a person does not have the freedom to decide what happens to their own body, then they are not truly free.

The Reality Behind the Debate

The question of abortion is not theoretical. It is deeply tied to Lesotho’s ongoing health crisis, one that continues to cost lives and futures.

Issue	Fact/Data	Source
Maternal Mortality	478 deaths per 100 000 live births (2024). Unsafe abortion remains a preventable contributor.	Who Lesotho, “Digital Lifeline” report
Teen/Adolescent birth rate	94 births per 1 000 girls aged 15-19.. among the highest in southern Africa.	UNFPA (2021),
Teen pregnancies	(Qacha’s Nek, 2025) 162 of 486 pregnant women were aged 13-19; many faced complications like obstructed labour and perineal tears.	District Health Management Team via LENA
Hospital admissions for incomplete abortions	~2 041 admissions.. showing that illegal abortions are common and dangerous.	Lesotho Times (2020), Uncensored News

These numbers represent real people, girls losing schooling, mothers losing their lives, and families bearing the silent cost of policy inaction.

Many Christians, myself included, believe in the sanctity of life. But life also includes dignity, safety, and freedom.

It is unjust to force women into unsafe or life-threatening circumstances under the banner of morality.

A man will never fear an unwanted pregnancy. Yet, women are expected to shoulder the consequences, social, physical, and economic. When they falter, we shame them for “failing.”

Not legalizing safe, regulated abortion doesn’t stop abortions, it only drives them underground. Unsafe abortions feed into the cycle of maternal mortality, poverty, school drop-outs, and gender inequality.

Legalizing and regulating abortion would not erase moral debate; it would protect life through safety and respect choice through structure.

It would enable government oversight, reduce deaths, and integrate reproductive health into a broader system of support and education.

Reform could reduce maternal mortality from unsafe abortions, protect young girls from lifelong health complications, strengthen reproductive health systems and access to contraception, empower communities through accurate education, not fear, and affirm women’s human rights, including rights to health, privacy, and equality.

I urge our Parliament and the Ministry of Health to review the Penal Code Act (2010) and its narrow abortion provisions. There is a need to move towards a compassionate, regulated framework that balances moral values with human rights and medical safety.

Lesotho has made strides in digital health and maternal care, now it must take the next step: ensuring women can make safe, informed choices about their bodies and futures.

Freedom is not only about speech or religion. It’s also about the quiet right to decide what happens within your own skin. Legalizing abortion, with care and regulation, is not an attack on morality, it’s an affirmation of humanity.