Abortion has been legal in South Africa since 1996, but unsafe abortion is still common and particularly impacts poor women and girls—especially those who live in rural areas. While abortion is also legal in Zambia, abortion stigma is persistent and abortion providers are in short supply. And Malawi’s abortion law is one of the most restrictive in Africa, only allowing the procedure to save a woman’s life. This leads many women and girls to seek out clandestine abortions with unsafe methods.
With offices in Midrand (South Africa), Lusaka (Zambia), and Lilongwe (Malawi), Ipas Southern Africa Region works with governments, partner organizations and local stakeholders to increase access to high-quality sexual and reproductive health care and to reduce injuries and deaths from unsafe abortion. Ipas is expanding abortion access by training abortion providers, supporting health facilities, and helping ensure abortion with pills is an available option. Ipas also educates communities on the importance of abortion rights and builds grassroots movements for law reform through a wide range of activities including workshops, educational dramas and radio programs.
Offices: Lilongwe, Malawi; Midrand, South Africa; Lusaka, Zambia
Online: Ipas Southern Region
Malawi
South Africa
Zambia
G20 leaders commit to women’s economic empowerment and gender equality in historic summit
In a historic milestone for the continent, G20 leaders convened in South Africa in November 2025 for the first ever summit hosted in Africa. Against the backdrop of increasing economic, social and political crises, the world’s leading platform for economic collaboration focused on promoting solidarity, equality, and sustainability as key pillars of inclusive growth.
The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to empowering women and girls