Kenya’s Abortion Quandary: Women Resort to Risky Clinics Amid Legal Uncertainty.
In Kenya, unclear abortion laws force thousands of women into unsafe backstreet clinics. BBC Africa Eye reveals the challenges women face due to stigma and misinformation surrounding abortion.
Despite legal provisions for cases involving the mother’s life, health, or pregnancy resulting from rape or incest, the complex legal landscape pushes women like Edith to clandestine options.
Edith, an HIV-positive mother, opted for a backstreet clinic due to a lack of awareness about her eligibility for a legal abortion. The legal ambiguity has created a chilling effect, with few doctors openly discussing the issue. High-profile arrests in the past have made providing legal abortions risky for health workers, contributing to the prevalence of unsafe procedures.
Dr. John Nyamu, previously arrested for performing legal abortions, highlights the challenges in accessing safe services, especially for poor women. The ambiguity in the law leads to unsafe practices, resulting in health complications and even death. Reports indicate that seven women and girls die daily in Kenya due to unsafe abortions, with thousands more hospitalized.
Anti-abortion campaigners in Kenya insist on the clear illegality of abortion, aligning with the penal code. However, calls for clarity on the issue persist, with the government’s withdrawal of guidelines for health workers on legal abortions adding to the confusion.
As debates continue, clandestine clinics offer unsafe abortions, sometimes at the cost of a child’s life. The legal uncertainty, combined with societal stigmatization, pushes women like Edith to undergo painful procedures in secret.
This alarming situation underscores the urgent need for clear, accessible, and safe reproductive health services in Kenya. The legal ambiguity not only endangers women’s lives but perpetuates a cycle of unsafe practices.
It is crucial for policymakers to address this issue, ensuring that women have the right information and access to safe reproductive healthcare. (Source: BBC Africa Eye)
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-67473183