On July 30th, 2025, KELIN joined fellow civil society organizations (CSOs) under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Right to Health (RTH) Thematic Group to advocate for stronger accountability on Kenya’s human rights commitments towards realization of the Right to Health. This followed Kenya’s 4th UPR session[1] held on May 1, 2025, in Geneva, where other countries reviewed Kenya’s human rights track record. During the session, Kenya received 339 recommendations from 122 countries, with 13 advance questions posed to its delegation. The recommendations covered a wide range of human rights areas. On May 7, Kenya’s State Report[2] was officially adopted, with final endorsement expected to take place at the Human Rights Council’s 60th session in September 2025.
Earlier in the process, the Right to Health Thematic Group submitted a stakeholder report[3] outlining 20 key recommendations focused on six urgent issues:
- Inadequate financial resourcing for health in Kenya
- Limited access to comprehensive and integrated HIV prevention services for integrated HIV prevention services for key populations (inclu7ding prisoners and SOGIESC persons) in Kenya.
- Gaps in TB service delivery.
- Limited access to SRHR services, information and commodities by adolescents and young people, people with disabilities, people living with HIV and key populations
- Gaps in mental health service delivery.
- Lack of a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital health and rights.
Progress and Gaps on the Right to Health
Encouragingly, during the May UPR session in Geneva, Kenya accepted several key recommendations, including commitments to:
- Improve maternal health services;
- Strengthen efforts towards universal health coverage and HIV response;
- Protect and promote sexual and reproductive health and rights and ensure access to sexual and reproductive health services; and
- To pursue technical cooperation opportunities to advance the digitization of government services and the development of AI systems in the public sector.
However, the Kenyan government noted key recommendations such as:
- reforming punitive laws and removing barriers to justice and rights for people with HIV and vulnerable groups;
- increasing investment in SRHR services;
- decriminalizing abortion;
- integrating comprehensive sexuality education in all settings, and
- prioritizing marginalized populations (including youth, persons with disabilities, and others); and adopting inclusive policies to remove healthcare barriers for SOGIESC minorities.
Why Action and Accountability Matters?
The UPR process leads us to action. It provides a unique platform for civil society to engage in sustained advocacy and hold their governments accountable for their human rights obligations. The CSO meeting aimed to analyze what Kenya agreed to do and what it sidestepped in its human rights obligations—so as to track progress and keep pushing for full implementation. These conversations are vital in shaping future advocacy work with government institutions. KELIN welcomes and supports continued national and regional engagements and joint discussions between civil society actors and the State towards implementation of all UPR recommendations, accepted and or noted, to ensure access to health care for all.
Next Steps and Way Forward
Notably, the UPR Working Group report[4] on Kenya will formally be adopted at the Human Rights Council 60th session in September/October 2025. KELIN shall join other CSOs within the Kenya Stakeholders coalition on the UPR for a meeting with
Ministries, Departments and Agencies from 18th to 20th August. While there may not be changes in the report, Kenya could clarify its position on some of the recommendations they received.
To contribute to the discussions on this forum, follow KELIN on our website and social media platforms.
Website: www.kelinkenya.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kelinkenya
Twitter(X): @KELINKenya.
For more information please contact, Elsie Milimu,
Program Officer- SRHR, Kenya Legal & Ethical Issues Network on HIV/AIDS(KELIN),
Email: elsiemilimu@kelinkenya.org
[1] https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1i/k1ia89rm3j
[2] https://docs.un.org/en/A/HRC/WG.6/49/KEN/1
[3] https://www.kelinkenya.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/UPR-Right-to-Health-report.pdf
