KELIN partners with Catholic for Choice to sensitize lawyers on reproductive rights

‘The sessions were very interesting and in the process I acquired sufficient knowledge and tools to clearly articulate my values with regard to abortion and my capacity to address women’s’ sexual reproductive health rights was immensely built. It was a practical emulation of the day to day to day issues that affect lawyers in the course of addressing these rights and the process was a channel that allowed my understanding of how the values held by different individuals change and affect ones actions,’ Jessica Oluoch.

This was the reflection of one of lawyers who participated in the workshop organized by KELIN in partnership with Catholics for Choice. The workshop, which was held on 26 August, 2016 at Amber Hotel, Nairobi County, was designed to promote an open dialogue about reproductive health and rights and in particular, engage KELIN’s Pro-bono lawyers on the abortion discourse.

The workshop which had representation from lawyers from the counties of Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru and Kisumu had three main objectives namely:

  • To explore personal doubts and concerns about reproductive health issues;
  • To empathize with the background and positions of others in a way that enhances professional relationships and effectiveness; and
  • To acquire information and tools allowing participants to clearly articulate their own values on abortion issues.

This workshop is among a series of other workshops that CFC has previously facilitated together with advocates, policymakers and health care providers. The workshop comes at a time when there are currently three bills in Parliament touching on sexual and reproductive health issues including the Sexual Offences Amendment bill, the Reproductive Health Care bill and the Health bill. The training also comes at an opportune time when the Constitutional Division of the High Court is in the process of deciding one of the contentious cases on abortion filed by FIDA Kenya.

For further details on Catholics for Choice, please access the following link

http://www.catholicsforchoice.org/

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For more information contact:

Tabitha Saoyo – Programme Manager

Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights, KELIN

4th Floor, Somak Building, Mombasa Road

Tel +254202515790; Cell +254 790 339963;

Email: tsaoyo@kelinkenya.org