This archive report was first published on 5 July 2020.
Published on July 5, 2020, the Reproductive Health Bill, 2020, has sparked a heated debate between Catholic Church Bishops and pro-choice groups in Kenya.
The Bill, sponsored by Nakuru Senator Kihika Kimani, seeks to create an elaborate framework for the actualization of Article 26 (4) of the Constitution, which allows for abortion only in a medical emergency.
However, the Catholic Church, through the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), has expressed its opposition to the Bill, citing concerns over the protection of life and the rights of children and families.
Nakuru Catholic Bishop Maurice Muhatia stated that the Church will use the opportunity to champion for matters pertaining to the defence of the family and the rights of children.
"In our engagement with the Senate, we shall seek to defend the right to life, the dignity of children and of family as an inseparable unit; we shall also advocate for the Ministry of Education and the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development to provide value-based human sexuality to learners," Bishop Muhatia said.
On the other hand, civil society groups, including the Centre for Reproductive Rights, have expressed their support for the Bill, citing its potential to curb the rising rate of teenage pregnancies.
Evelyn Opondo, Senior Regional Director for Africa at the Centre for Reproductive Rights, stated that the Bill will provide options for young people to make informed choices about their reproductive health.
"If we make all these options available and provide this information, then we are not going to have to deal with safe abortion cases and teenage pregnancies in this country. It is only that we are moralizing the whole issue and our young girls are stigmatized and they cannot access the services when they visit health centres," she said.
