‘My modest contribution in Kenya includes drafting the HIV Prevention and Control Act about 19 years back, inclusion of non-discrimination clauses in the Constitution about 10 years ago and pioneering litigation on non-discrimination’.
Hon Otiende Amollo, MP, Rarieda Constituency, made these remarks when addressing critical questions asked around the role of the Legislature in safeguarding the rights of persons living with HIV.
On 18 – 22nd June 2018, KELIN’s Deputy Director, Saoyo Tabitha, alongside two Kenyan Members of Parliament, participated in a three day regional forum for parliamentarians, hosted in Senegal.
This year’s forum included Ms Esther Passaris, who sits in the Parliamentary Health Committee, and Dr Otiende Amollo, who was instrumental in shaping the HIV discourse in Kenya through the HIV Prevention and Control Act. The Parliamentarians forum is part of a larger regional grant executed by five organizations in Africa to strengthen the capacity of lawyers, parliamentarians, judges, law enforcement officers and health care workers on HIV,TB and human rights issues.
The forum drew approximately 60 participants from Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa and Zambia. Among the topics deliberated on were the indivisibility of human rights and the role of regional economic communities in safeguarding human rights. The forum as well explored how parliamentarians can create synergies with civil society, judiciary and other like-minded groups while advancing the rights of vulnerable and key populations.
‘I have learnt so much from this entire forum while engaging with Members of Parliament from both Anglophone and Francophone states. As a member of the Kenyan Parliamentary Health Committee, these topics form a critical part of our work back home’. Hon Esther Passaris, Nairobi Woman Representative
As a result of this forum, Kenya’s representatives formulated a work plan which includes a set of key activities that will be executed in collaboration with the National AIDS Control Council, KELIN while complementing the work of County HIV Coordinators.
To contribute to the discussion and for live updates follow KELIN on our social media platforms: Twitter: @KELINkenya; Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kelinkenya
For more information contact:
Saoyo Tabitha,
Deputy Executive Director
Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV & AIDS (KELIN)
4th Floor, Somak Building, Mombasa Road
PO Box 112-00200, KNH
Email: tsaoyo@kelinkenya.org
