On November 21, 2018, Atheists in Kenya (AIK) criticised the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board (KMPDB) after it moved to ban abortions at Marie Stopes, saying the decision was misguided and regrettable.
In a statement sent to media houses on Monday, the group argued that Marie Stopes remains one of the few facilities in Kenya offering reproductive health services, education and access to birth control for women. It said those services help reduce early pregnancies.
AIK also said the ban would not stop abortions from happening. “There is undeniable evidence that women continue to have abortions in countries where it is outlawed under illegal and unsafe conditions that often result in terrible tragedy. Kenya is not an exception,” the group said.
The organisation went further and urged the board to consider ensuring that abortion drugs are administered to pregnant girls by unlicensed medical practitioners.
In its response, AIK framed abortion as a women’s rights issue, saying it affects women and not men. “A pregnancy to a woman is perhaps one of the most determinative aspects of her life. It disrupts her body, it disrupts her education, it disrupts her employment and often disrupts her entire life,” read part of the statement signed by Daisy Siongok, the deputy president of AIK.
The group’s remarks came as it defended Marie Stopes and warned that restrictions would push women toward unsafe procedures rather than eliminate abortions altogether.
