Laws will save women and girls

Unsafe abortion remains a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in Kenya with an estimated seven women dying every day. Women seek abortion services due to unavoidable circumstances.

A contraceptive method could have failed for some, while others may have been forced to have unprotected sex by their partners leading to a pregnancy that they do not wish to keep. While as an African country we push back the thought of teenagers and school-going children having sex, it is time we accept that our teenagers are having it. We need to give them information on how to do it safely or we will have to deal with consequences of backstreet abortions.

Young girls’ lack of information on safe sex (because we want to assume they are abstaining) has led to many getting unwanted pregnancies, which then leads to seeking abortion services. And since there is a lot of stigma that comes with abortion, they will use backstreet methods which may lead to death.

The cost of treating unsafe abortion is high. Some 330 women and girls are hospitalised every day due to unsafe abortion complications. Why shouldn’t we help our young girls access safe procedures?

There are many lies and myths about abortion that cause stigma and misinformation. Abortion does not cause infertility. When the procedure is performed by a qualified health practitioner, one can easily get pregnant again. Kenya anti-abortion crusader Aketch Aimba has continued to spread lies on this harmful narrative. If we kept an open mind and have dialogue with women, it will be known that nine out of 10 women who get safe abortions get pregnant and have healthy children.

Yes, we advocate for safe sex by all means, but sometimes unexpected things occur. We cannot deny women to do as they wish with their bodies because a mistake has occurred. It is modern-day slavery to ask a woman to keep a child she does not want.

Safe abortion does not cause long mental health consequences but on the contrary, there is a feeling of relief than regret, but forced abortion can lead to long-term distress. Will we force a raped girl to keep a pregnancy from her victim for fear of psychological distress? Which is worse?

Access to comprehensive sexuality education is key to raise awareness on the safe procedures and also education on access to contraception and abstinence.

Purity Nthiana, human rights defender and a reproductive health advocate