This archive report was first published on 28 September 2019.
On September 28, 2019, the world marked International Safe Abortion Day, coinciding with a significant ruling by Kenya's High Court to reinstate the 2012 Standards and Guidelines for Reducing Morbidity and Mortality from Unsafe Abortion in Kenya.
While the court's decision has been hailed as a victory for women's rights, many Kenyans are still unaware of the document's contents, which outline crucial standards for safe abortion practices.
According to the World Health Organization, unsafe abortion remains a leading cause of death for women and girls in Kenya, with an estimated 2,600 women dying annually from back alley abortions – that's seven women every day.
The reinstated guidelines aim to address this issue by providing clear standards for healthcare providers, including training community health workers, offering family planning and contraceptive services, and sensitizing the media to report accurately on unsafe abortions.
Some of the key standards outlined in the document include:
- Training community health workers to provide pregnancy prevention information and services
- Providing family planning and contraceptive services without provider bias
- Protocols for providing abortion services to survivors of sexual violence
- Termination of pregnancy to be carried out in a health facility with appropriate equipment
- Health professionals trained and skilled in termination of pregnancy procedures
- Informed consent and accurate information on risks and benefits of abortion
- Family planning and contraceptives counseling and methods offered to women undergoing termination of pregnancy
As a signatory to the Maputo Protocol, Kenya is bound to protect the rights of women and girls to access reproductive health services and information. Article 26(4) of the Kenyan constitution also provides for safe abortion under special circumstances, yet many women and girls remain unaware of their rights.
Nthiana, a reproductive health advocate at the Network for Adolescent and Youth of Africa (NAYA), emphasizes the need for clarity on safe abortion guidelines to protect women's reproductive health and promote informed choices.
