With support from the Commonwealth Foundation, KELIN is conducting a training for representatives of select Civil Society Organizations, Community Based Organizations, networks of PLHIV and health care workers, in Mombasa. The training is on the link between HIV and human rights and how to get involved in governance & the legislative process. The participants are drawn from Mombasa and Kilifi Counties.
The training that has been taking place from 18th will continue until 20th March, 2014. It is aimed at enhancing the participant’s knowledge on HIV, human rights, related laws & policies, and how they can engage in both national and county legislative processes on issues that affect HIV treatment, prevention and control.
The training sessions are facilitated by experts from the medical, legal and human rights spheres who have vast experience on issues of HIV, human rights, the legislative process and participatory governance.
The Constitution of Kenya (2010) sets standards that all laws and policies must conform with. It outlaws discrimination on the basis of one’s health status, and guarantees the right to the highest attainable standard of health. Despite the foregoing provisions, there still exist punitive laws and policies that hinder the access and provision of health services to PLHIV. There is need to challenge the existence of these laws to have them either repealed or amended. To achieve this, there is need for all actors in the HIV sector to be involved in governance and the legislative processes.
At the end of the three day training, the participants’ capacities will be strengthened to advocate for sound laws and policies that favour HIV treatment, management and control.
