KELIN contributes to the global discussion on applying human rights to Sexual & Reproductive Health

KELIN, alongside partners from the Medicus Mundi Schweiz Network participated in a one-day conference titled ‘Applying human rights to sexual and reproductive health, A reality for all?’ Medicus Mundi Schweiz is a network of Swiss organizations working on international health issues. The Network promotes the sharing of knowledge among its members and facilitates the development of joint positions and strategies amongst its partners. Some of the organizations represented during the conference included UNFPA, Women’s Hope International, Swiss Red Cross, Terres Des Hommes, Sexual Rights Initiative and the Swiss Government.

The conference was organized on the premise of a renewed push for sexual and reproductive health and rights with the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also presented an opportunity for partners to learn from shared experiences, replicate and scale-up successful interventions, apply new tools and skills and develop innovative processes and partnerships.

KELIN made a presentation titled ‘utilizing the rights based approach to sexual and reproductive health in Kenya’. The presentation primarily focused on KELIN’s national and community interventions over the last two years. These included highlighting our work towards ensuring that the Health Bill 2015 is aligned to the Constitution, our dialogues with the police on human rights and litigation of various cases in court.

The meeting was a useful platform for KELIN to network and enlighten its global partners on the status of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Kenya. In particular, it broadened KELIN’s institutional capacity on the inter linkages between the sustainable development goals and SRHR. It also presented a good opportunity for KELIN to lobby for the integration of the rights based approach in national laws and policies.

At the end of the conference, participants were urged to take advantage of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) as a mechanism that can be used to keep governments accountable towards the SDGs.

For further details on Medicus Mundi Schweiz please access for more details.

To contribute to the discussions on this forum, follow KELIN on our social media platforms:  Twitter: @KELINKenya  or Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kelinkenya

For more information contact: 

Ms.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