KELIN was once again a part of the Bergen Exchanges 2019. Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Programme Officer, Linda Kroeger, represented the organisation during this year’s exchanges held from August 19 – 26, 2019 in Bergen, Norway. The exchanges brought together scholars and practitioners keen on interrogating how the law serves as a tool for social change and how it shapes and is shaped by various external factors such as power relations, socio-cultural and economic trends.

This year, participants were able to participate in and contribute to a vast array of topics relevant to the international human rights dialogue including; addressing the infringement of indigenous persons’ rights in Latin America through judicialisation, corruption and the law, natural resources and climate change warfare and sexual and reproductive rights lawfare in the African and European continents.

The conversations were a reflection of current happenings in the world such as the man-made amazon disaster and overall catalysed important discussions on prospective studies spearheaded and supported by the Centre on Law and Social Transformation.

During the exchanges, KELIN highlighted its ongoing role in litigating for health-related rights and most especially sexual and reproductive rights. The presentation sought to interrogate and share experiences on the role of public interest litigation in realising the right to health and consequently the right to reproductive health care. Besides, it also highlighted the importance of evidence-based approaches in advocacy as a means to support and reinforce the impact of a public interest litigation case to the general population and quite specifically the women and girls who are denied access to their right to reproductive healthcare.

Moving forward, KELIN committed to continue contributing to the regional research on the realization of sexual and reproductive rights through the Law Transform Project. This directly informs KELIN’s keen and integrated approach to employing evidence-based advocacy measures to promote and protect health-related rights. Aluta Continua!

To contribute to the discussions on this forum, follow KELIN on our social media platforms using the hashtags: #BergenExchanges and  #LawTransform.

Twitter: @KELINKenya

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kelinkenya  

For more information, please contact:

Linda W. Kroeger

Program Officer, SRHR

Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV & AIDS (KELIN)

4th Floor, Somak Building, Mombasa Road Tel +254202515790;

Email: lkroeger@kelinkenya.org