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Kenya: Bill Protects Women From Non-Consensual Sterilisation

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6 years ago

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Senator Kihika says State must protect rights of women, girls with disabilities

Nakuru County Senator Susan Kihika is pushing for consensual sterilisation of women.

On Tuesday, Reproductive Healthcare Bill (2019), proposed by Ms Kihika, was presented for Second Reading in Parliament.

The bill, which proposes punishment for health practitioners involuntarily sterilising the women also seeks to protect HIV positive women and girls, as well as those living with disabilities, from abuse.

Ms Kihika recommends a five-year jail term; a Sh2 million fine or both.

“There is a need to protect the rights of persons of child-bearing age by outlawing sterilisation of persons without prior consent,” she said while tabling the bill.

She observed the urgency of a legislative framework distinctly criminalising forced sterilisation.

She said Senate’s Committee against Torture had in 2013 raised concern over HIV positive women and those with disabilities being sterilised without prior informed consent.

“The committee urged the State to strengthen its efforts to investigate allegations over involuntary sterilisations or other harmful practices in connection to reproductive health,” she said.

“Further Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women raised issues with the failure to protect the health, sexual and reproductive health and rights of women with disabilities including the practice of forced sterilisation,” said Ms Kihika.