On December 10, 2024, KELIN convened a crucial meeting in Nairobi, with various diplomatic missions’ resident in country and UN agencies to discuss the findings of the Right to Health CSO Stakeholder Report ahead of Kenya’s 4th cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) session next year. The Report was prepared and submitted by 23 civil society organizations to the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in October 2024. It is set to be presented in February 2025 during the UPR pre-session meeting ahead of Kenya’s 57th session UPR process before the United Nations Human Rights Council in May 2025.
The Universal Periodic Process (UPR) process is a pivotal UN mechanism that reviews the human rights records of member states every 4.5 years. It offers CSOs a unique opportunity to hold governments accountable as the primary duty bearers in promoting and protecting human rights. The UPR process also allows CSOs to leverage on the international human rights system, that is, the United Nations institutional and legal frameworks, to advocate for the realization of human rights at the national level.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Allan Maleche, KELIN’s Executive Director applauded the 23 CSOs unity and emphasized on the need for CSOs to come together now more than ever in light of the growth of the anti-rights movement, nationally, regionally and globally as well as the shift towards conservative politics in the West resulting in rapid shrinking of donor funding. Ms. Salima Namusobya, Vice President for Africa at the Centre for Reproductive Rights emphasized that diplomatic missions and UN agencies’ advocacy and support will be critical in encouraging Kenya to adopt and implement the recommendations, particularly those addressing SRHR priorities, access to healthcare, and gender equity. She urged them to amplify the priorities at the global and regional levels, to assist civil society voices in ensuring they are not just commitments on paper but transformative changes and reality for the people of Kenya.
Representatives from the 23 CSOs forming the Right to Health Thematic Group shared the six key issues and specific action-oriented recommendations related to health financing, HIV prevention, TB treatment, sexual and reproductive health rights, mental health and digital health. The resident missions of Netherlands and Denmark, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and the East Africa Community committed to relaying the recommendations to their permanent missions in Geneva, Switzerland who shall then assess Kenya’s human rights situation reflecting the needs of local civil societies ahead of Kenya’s UPR Working Group session. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) committed to monitoring and ensuring human rights are respected and protected on Sustainable Development Goal 3 on good health and well-being.
Mr. Gilbert Onyango, the Executive Director, East African Centre for Human Rights (EACHRights)-the Secretariat of the Kenya Stakeholders Coalition on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR)-highlighted that the UPR is a process and urged the thematic group members to not only strategize and prepare for the pre-session in February 2025 but also develop and implement a work plan on the recommendations within the report.
KELIN remains dedicated to advancing the right to health for all, and this UPR process is a crucial step in holding our government accountable and pushing for meaningful change.
To contribute to the discussions on this forum, follow KELIN on our website and social media platforms.
Website: www.kelinkenya.org
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Twitter(X): @KELINKenya.
For more information please contact, Elsie Milimu,
Program Officer- SRHR, Kenya Legal & Ethical Issues Network on HIV/AIDS(KELIN), Email: elsiemilimu@kelinkenya.org
