On 25th September 2025, the Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV and AIDs( KELIN) and the Reproductive Health Champions Organisation (RHCO) convened a bold and honest conversation to mark both World Contraceptives Day[1] and International Safe Abortion Day[2]. Participants opened up about the silence, stigma, and misunderstanding surrounding pregnancy, abortion, and bodily autonomy in Kenya.
RHCO’s Executive Director, Martin Lunalo, set the tone with a simple question: “What is abortion?” Unfiltered responses revealed that many view abortion as a desperate choice, often shaped by the high cost of reproductive health services and lack of support. Discussions highlighted how reactions to pregnancy vary ranging from joy to panic. Many young people admitted they would likely not keep an unintended pregnancy, not out of irresponsibility, but because of unpreparedness, fear of stigma, or lack of support. In many African households, pregnancy outside marriage can lead to forced marriages, shame, or pressure to abort.
Different generations reflected on how conversations about reproductive health have changed. For older women, such topics were taboo. Millennials shared how hard it was to even introduce a partner at home. Gen Z participants didn’t hold back some said they would terminate a pregnancy even if their parents offered support, because ultimately, the choice is theirs. Religious leaders, while advocating for abstinence, acknowledged the need for compassion and understanding in real-life situations.
Participants also tackled sensitive but necessary topics like rape, incest, contraception and pregnancies within abusive environments. These sessions underscored the need for empathy, respectful, dignified and rights-based maternal care, and better access to contraception. Legal insights from KELIN’s Program Officer, Ms. Elsie Milimu clarified that abortion in Kenya is permitted under Article 26(4) of the Constitution where a mother’s life or health is at risk, or in emergencies, though this remains poorly understood by many and restrictive in practice
The conversation closed with an overwhelming consensus: reproductive health decisions whether about contraception, pregnancy, or abortion must centre the individual most affected; not society, religion or family pressure. Inclusion, compassion, and informed choice are essential in these conversations. Ultimately, everyone has a story, and everyone deserves dignity.
To contribute to the discussion, follow KELIN on our social media platforms.
Twitter: @KELINKenya
http://www.facebook.com/kelinkenya
Website: www.kelinkenya.org
For more information, please contact
Trevor Mwangi | Program Associate, WLPR/SRHR
P.O. Box 112 – 00202 KNH Nairobi,
Tel: 020 2515790 │Mobile: +254710261408
Email: Trevormwangi@kelinkenya.org
[1] Global Theme – A Choice for All: Agency, Intention and Access.
[2] Global theme – Safe Abortion is Life: Saving Healthcare.
