On May 5, 2026, KELIN joined government representatives, civil society organizations, youth actors and development partners for a dialogue on the inclusion and empowerment of pregnant and parenting adolescents. Convened by the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), the dialogue focused on the gap between policy and lived reality reflected nationally and in broader regional trends.
In Kenya, approximately 15% of girls begin childbearing before age 19 while across sub-Saharan Africa, nearly one in four girls begins childbearing before age 18. Although Kenya has made progress in recognizing adolescents within national policies such as school re-entry guidelines and youth-friendly health services, significant gaps remain in implementation and coordination. There is also inconsistency across counties, and limited monitoring mechanisms.
The dialogue surfaced gaps that include incoherency in implementation of interventions in health, education, and social protection; limited childcare support for school re-entry; funding constraints affecting youth-friendly services and inconsistent access to contraceptive commodities.
Participants also reflected on the lived realities of pregnant and parenting adolescents. These include stigma, economic vulnerability, and limited social support. One youth representative described this experience as a form of “social death,” underscoring the broader social and economic dimensions of exclusion.
Ms. Lucy Kimondo, Director of Public Education and Advocacy at the National Council for Population and Development, underscored the need for stronger coordination and accountability in population and reproductive health programmes.
Ultimately, the priority areas for a strengthened and coordinated national response were identified as education and economic empowerment; improved access to sexual and reproductive health services; and stronger social protection and stigma reduction efforts.
Participants called for improved coordination at the county level and greater inclusion of adolescents in policy development processes, as well as meaningful inclusion of adolescents in decision-making processes
KELIN remains steadfast in advocating for sexual and reproductive health and rights of all, including adolescents and young people.
Article by Sylvia Okonofua, MPH (Black Health), University of Toronto, who is on practicum placement at KELIN.
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