There is great demand for reproductive health information and services in Kenya, yet the adolescent and youth who constitute majority of the country's population cannot access such crucial information, denying them a right to enjoy their reproductive health rights as enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya 2010.
Daraja United Women and Youths Empowerment Organization(DAUWOYE),a Kisii-based Non-Governmental Organization's Chief Executive Officer, Winfridah Abuya laments that majority of the adolescent and young people do not have access to reproductive health information either from the national policy makers or the local communities, exposing them to life-threatening sexual activities.
Speaking at a Kisii hotel during a launch of the Organization's Closing the Gap(CtG)reproductive health project funded by the Planned Parenthood Federation of America(PPFA),Abuya observed that, there is a strong linkage between lack of information on sexual and reproductive health and teenage pregnancies, illegal abortion among adolescent and youthful generation in the country.
Abuya regretted that, without basic reproductive health information, adolescents and youth make uninformed and act in ignorance while engaging in sexual activities.
"The adolescents and youth in Kenya need information about contraception well before they become sexually active, to ensure they understand how various methods of birth control work, their benefits and side effects if any and where to access particular birth control methods,” Stated Abuya.
A community health nurse by profession, Abuya who specializes in reproductive health services, said, adolescents and youths need full access to confidential, safe, and convenient family planning services.
She observed that, parents, educators, healthcare service providers and pharmacy staff can play a critical role in facilitating the adolescents and youth learn more about, obtain and use of contraceptives effectively.
"There is need to ensure reproductive health information and services are available, accessible, affordable and acceptable to the adolescents and youth," stated Abuya.
Her sentiments were echoed by the National Council of NGOs Chairman, Wilson Kip sang Kipkazi, who challenged both county and national governments to consider allocating adequate funds towards reproductive health programmes targeting adolescent and youth to empower them with basic reproductive health information and services.
Kipkazi underscored the importance the youth who constitute majority of the country's population play to transform the country's economy and having them lead health lives will secure the country's labour force and the economy.
According to the adolescent Reproductive Health and Development Policy,2003,because many of the decisions people make in adolescence and youth influence them for the rest of their lives, it is imperative that people at this age are supported to make responsible life choices.