SRHR and Unsafe Abortion
KOGS is committed to protect women’s sexual and reproductive health.
SRHR and Unsafe Abortion
KOGS is committed to protect women’s sexual and reproductive health.
The magnitude of unsafe abortions in Kenya
Each year it is estimated that about 465,000 abortions occur in Kenya, a majority of which are unsafe. Alarmingly, unsafe abortion remains a leading cause of preventable maternal morbidity and mortality in Kenya which is also noted to be the highest in Africa. It is estimated that every year at least 2,600 women die from unsafe abortions in Kenya, while 21,000 more women are hospitalized annually due to complications arising from incomplete abortions whether spontaneous or induced.
KOGS is committed to protect women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights and reduce maternal mortality arising from unsafe abortion
Women’s sexual and reproductive health is related to multiple human rights, including the right to life, the right to be free from torture, the right to health, the right to privacy, the right to education, and the prohibition of discrimination (OHCR). The Kenya Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society (KOGS), which operates as a national champion in sexual and reproductive health and rights recognizes the need to guide efforts to protect these rights and reduce preventable maternal morbidity and mortality arising from unsafe abortion. KOGS’ position on abortion can be read here.
Since 2019 KOGS embarked on a global initiative, led by the International Federation of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians (FIGO) and nine other national societies of obstetricians and gynaecologists to advocate for safe abortion.
An evaluation report about the Kenyan project on prevention of maternal mortality arising from unsafe abortion, and enhancing access to post-abortion care (PAC) through advocacy can be read here.
Advocacy for safe abortion care is complex and takes place in challenging dynamic environments. The evaluation of the project in Kenya showed that achievements cannot always be captured in hard advocacy outcomes (i.e. in a demonstration of how social actors, organizations or systems have changed as a result of the advocate’s effort). Yet it shows that we learn especially from the strategies and the nuances of what happened within the complex abortion-restrictive society of Kenya. This page is intended for advocates to learn from KOGS’ initiatives and the various strategies for advocacy, get access to essential resources and support for advocacy efforts in Kenya.
KOGS’ previous activities strongly focused on focus on Kajiado county, which was used as a pilot setting to start KOGS’s work in advocacy. KOGS is interested to scale-up its activities to other counties. Want to collaborate? Call us at: +254 726639621 or email us at kogs@kogs.or.ke
Click on the following links to find more on KOGS’ strategies and essential resources
