During the month of June, the KNCHR successfully conducted hearings for its National Public Inquiry on Sexual and Reproductive Health in Nairobi (Ufungamano House) and Mombasa (Tononoka Social Hall). The hearings brought together a diverse group of Kenyans from all walks of life and featured a range of sexual and reproductive health topics ranging from rape to cases of medical negligence in various health facilities. So far it has been an insightful and humbling experience.
What has contributed most to the success of the hearings thus far has been the willingness of members of the public to stand up and speak out about various events and situations that relate to sexual and reproductive health, either in their own lives or in the lives of their families and friends. Many of the events and situations that were narrated were extremely personal and oftentimes difficult to speak about, especially before a panel, yet many witnesses fearlessly spoke out about them. This required quite a bit of courage and has been driven by many people’s convictions that the process will contribute to the greater good.
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| Panellists listen to a witness give evidence at the Nairobi hearing |
The Commission’s Inquiry team intends to continue the hearings in the same spirit in the four remaining regions: North Rift region; Nyanza & Western region; North & Upper Eastern regions; and Eastern and Central regions. Members of the public are encouraged to continue participating and contributing to this worthwhile process in whatever way they can, be it through attending and/or testifying before the panel or sending in a written individual or group submission to reproductivehealth@knchr.org. Some complaints and submissions have already been received to date and the Commission welcomes many more, because it is only through cooperation and collaboration that this Inquiry can become a tool to bring about much needed change in sexual and reproductive health in Kenya.
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