By Faith Nyasuguta —
For a week between June 26 and July 3, 2022, the East Africa Community Sexual and Reproductive Health Bill under consideration at the East Africa Legislative Assembly was out for public participation across 6 of the 7 EAC countries. Africa Equity Media spoke to Stephanie Musho, a Nairobi-based human rights lawyer leading the #PassEACSRHBill campaign to garner public support for the proposed law.
What is the East Africa Community Sexual and Reproductive Health Bill?
The EAC SRH Bill, 2021 is a Bill, sponsored by Hon. Kennedy Mukulia; a South Sudanese national representing South Sudan at the East Africa Legislative Assembly.
The proposed law seeks to protect and promote the sexual and reproductive health of all persons in the East Africa Community. Specifically, it seeks to provide age appropriate sexual and reproductive health information and services. Often, most people associate the term “age-appropriate” in the ambit of sexual and reproductive health and rights with adolescents. Nonetheless, it cuts across the divide; including provisions for elderly persons on issues of menopause and andropause.
The Bill also seeks to prevent newborn mortality, child mortality and maternal mortality. Additionally, to reduce and eliminate unsafe abortion, HIV and other STIs as well as early and unintended teenage pregnancies. In Kenya alone, 7 women die from complications arising from unsafe abortion.
This feature was originally posted on Africa Equity Media on July 1, 2022.