kenya
- Population: 43 million
- Growth Rate: 2.444%
- Fertility Rate: 3.98 children born/woman
- Human Development Index ranking: 143 (out of 187)
stats
- 2.4 million unsafe abortions were performed in East Africa in 2008*
- 1 in 4 married women had an unmet need for contraception in 2008-2009*
- 41% of sexually active unmarried women use contraceptives*
- 12-17% of Kenya's poorest and uneducated women use modern contraceptives, compared to 48-52% of educated, wealthier Kenyan women.*
- According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, approximately half of Kenyan women obtain their contraceptives from private facilities.
access to family planning & contraceptives
- "Kenya’s health care sector suffers from systemic and widespread problems that deny women high quality family planning and maternal health care." (Center for Reproductive Rights)
- Socio-economic status matters with regards to reproductive rights in Kenya.
- "The lack of funding for public health facilities contributes to the emergence of a two-tiered health care system in Kenya, which discriminates against poor women and prevents or delays access to much-needed care." (Center for Reproductive Rights)
Barriers to family planning for Kenyans:
- informal and formal user fees,
- lack of infrastructure and supplies, and
- incorrect or insufficient information about family planning services. (Center for Reproductive Rights)
- The Reproductive Health Rights Alliance (RHRA) is a Kenyan organization comprised of "advocates from the medical, legal, women's rights, and human rights communities." (Planned Parenthood)
- Mission: to "improve maternal health conditions in Kenya by securing reproductive health laws and policies that promote women's health" (Planned Parenthood)
abortion
The 2010 Constitution of Kenya bans abortion in the country, although it outlines exceptions to this law, including "in the opinion of a trained health professional, there is need for emergency treatment, or the life or health of the mother is in danger, or if permitted by another written law."
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has taken a proactive role in promoting reproductive rights, including:
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has taken a proactive role in promoting reproductive rights, including:
- encouraging the government to train Kenyan police on abortion law so that physicians who provide safe and legal abortions and women are not harassed, and
- mandating that the government ensure that abortion services are affordable and available in all healthcare settings. (Center for Reproductive Rights)
- A Call for Action in Kenya. Center for Reproductive Rights, 30 May 2012. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://reproductiverights.org/ en/feature/a-call-for-action-in-kenya>.
- "Fact Sheet." Abortion and Unintended Pregnancy in Kenya. Guttmacher Institute, May 2012. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/FB_Abortion-in-Kenya.pdf>.
- Kenya Country Program. Planned Parenthood, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/international-program/kenya-country-program-19010.htm>.