Doris Kathia 

Texas, in the US, has seen a 15 per cent increase in men seeking vasectomy services since September when the State’s abortion ban took effect. Men say the law is impacting their decision-making in terms of family planning.

Despite the fact that access to contraceptives and birth control products applies equally to sexually active men and women, the use of contraceptives by men remains relatively low, yet this has important implications for public health, including for the transmission of sexually transmitted infections and diseases.

For the longest time, society has assigned women the role of birth control use and the responsibility of pregnancy prevention.

The uneven burden of reproductive health is placed on women who have to take pills, implants, coils and other contraceptives while men just engage into sexual activities without worrying about pregnancy prevention.

Sexual and reproductive health rights mean one should be able to make own decisions about their body and get accurate information about these issues, be able to access sexual and reproductive health services including contraception, be able to choose if, when and who to marry and above all decide if you want to have children and how many.

Further, people’s lives should be free from all forms of sexual violence, including rape, female genital mutilation, forced pregnancy, forced abortion and forced sterilisation. 

Imposing restrictions on abortion, therefore, continue to hinder women from attaining their potential.

This has high impact on mortality especially among adolescents and youth. In countries where abortion is restricted women tend to turn to the backstreet to seek for unsafe abortion services and in turn we end up losing them due to severe bleeding and unsterilised tools used to carry out the procedure.

According to WHO, globally, it is estimated that 16 million girls aged 15 to 19 and a million girls under 15 give birth each year.

Complications associated with pregnancy and childbirth are the second leading cause of death for 15-19-year-old girls globally. Every year, three million girls aged 15 to 19 undergo unsafe abortions. 

Women’s right to express their sexuality and make decisions over own bodies are being challenged.

Advocating for sexual and reproductive health rights, human rights and gender equality is not a Western concept neither is making abortion accessible to the women who seek the services for various reasons. 

Improving the sexual and reproductive health goes beyond the right to life and the right to health of women and girls.

This, directly affects equitable and sustainable development and the attainment of various Sustainable Development Goals, including poverty reduction.

Looking at the various declarations and similar documents adopted by consensus by practically all nations, Kenya included, and further developed in the practice of the UN and regional human rights bodies confirm the diverse and rich nature of reproductive rights.

For instance, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted at the Conference, among other things highlights the right to equal access to and equal treatment of women and men in education and health care and the enhancement of women’s sexual and reproductive health as well as education. 

Further, the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) highlights, the right to the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health contains the access to a comprehensive package of health services including voluntary family planning, abortion where it is not against the law, post abortion care, ante- and post-natal care, both for mother and for child.

Sexual and reproductive health services cannot be offered only in the main population centres but must be made available in rural and underserved areas. 

Governments must stop using criminal law to control people’s sexuality and reproduction, but should instead empower them to make decisions about their bodies. 

The governments need to stop focusing on banning abortion and help prevent unwanted pregnancies. — The writer is a youth advocate for sexual and reproductive health