On 14-15 June, KELIN will host a dialogue in Kigali, Rwanda on the role of Civil Society in the law-making processes at the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA). The dialogue aims to examine trends in legislation on sexual and reproductive health and rights in the East African countries, and at the East African Community (EAC) level. The forum will also assess the opportunities available to influence legislation at the EAC.
This is a follow-up to an earlier, sub-regional dialogue on opportunities to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) through the East African Court of Justice, hosted by Kelin in October 2017. Through this collaborative forum, a number of action points for further civil society engagement were developed, including engagement with the legislative assembly.
Sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) continues to be a contested topic in many parts of the world, Africa included. Recent developments such as the adoption of the Maputo Protocol and General Comment No. 2 on Article 14 by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights as well as the EAC HIV and AIDS Prevention and Management Act, provide great opportunities to further advance the health rights of women in EAC. Despite these developments, violations of women’s SRHR still continue to occur in the sub-region, and the legislative framework is not always conducive to the realization of SRHR.
The Kigali dialogue seeks to‑
- facilitate greater understanding of the mandate of EALA and the bill making processes;
- lay out collaborative opportunities and public participation in the legislative process at EALA; and
- contextualize legislation and policy on SRHR within the EAC and the role of civil society in advancing SRHR and human rights.
Through this dialogue the various partners – drawn from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda – are expected to develop a joint action plan for collaborative efforts towards greater involvement in the legislative process at EALA and other spaces available to influence the development of SRHR legislation in the sub-region.
To contribute to the discussion on this forum, follow KELIN on our social media platforms: Twitter: @KELINkenya using the hashtag: #EALAdialogue
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kelinkenya
For more information, contact:
Nerima Were,
Programme Manager,
Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights,
Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV and AIDS (KELIN).
Email: nwere@kelinkenya.org\
