On September 25, 2026, KELIN joined Homa Bay County for the launch of the Homa Bay County Reproductive Health (RH) Policy[1] during the county’s commemoration of World Contraception Day annually marked on 26th September.
Homa Bay County carries one of the highest concentrations of sexual and reproductive
health challenges in Kenya. The county has an HIV prevalence of 15.2%, more than four times the national average of 3.7% (KDHS 2022). The 2025 Kenya AIDS Progress Report ranks Homa Bay fourth nationally in new HIV infections, with 1,180 new infections, attributed to persistent behavioural, structural and service-delivery gaps. Adolescent pregnancy also remains a major concern, with the 2026 Economic Survey recording 7,846 adolescent pregnancies in Homa Bay, up from 7,709 in 2024. The situation is particularly concerning among adolescent girls. One in three girls aged 15–19 in Homa Bay (33%) is either a mother or pregnant with her first child, nearly twice the national average of 18%. The county also continues to experience high levels of sexual and gender-based violence, including defilement of underage girls, with cases reportedly increasing during school holidays. Together, HIV, adolescent pregnancy and sexual and gender-based violence constitutes the “triple threat” facing adolescents and young people in Homa Bay – a challenge compounded by poverty, harmful social norms and barriers to accessing appropriate sexual and reproductive health information and services.
Therefore, the launch of the policy marks a significant milestone in the County’s commitment to provision of reproductive health information, services, and commodities. The policy, though applicable to all, has a particular focus on women, adolescents, children, persons with disabilities, gender minorities and other vulnerable populations, with the aim of ensuring services are accessible, equitable and of high quality.
The Policy covers a broad range of reproductive health needs, including maternal and child health, family planning, adolescent and youth sexual reproductive health, prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV, gender-based violence (GBV), post abortion care (PAC) and reproductive health-related cancers. It also addresses fertility and infertility management, menopause care, and other reproductive health needs across the life course, providing a framework for comprehensive services for approximately 1.13 million Homa Bay County residents.
Speaking during the launch, Hon. Paul Barry Miruka, a member of the Homa Bay County Assembly, urged residents to endorse family planning as a family issue and not a women’s issue. He acknowledged continued support from civil society organizations present and called for support towards implementation of the policy. Hon. Barry reiterated the County Assembly’s commitment to addressing contentious reproductive health issues, including abortion, through the enactment of the Homa Bay County Reproductive Health Bill.
KELIN’s Senior Program Officer, Ms. Elsie Milimu, called on Homa Bay County Assembly to enact the Homa Bay County Reproductive Health Bill to reinforce legislative frameworks already in force.
KELIN congratulates Homa Bay County on this important milestone and looks forward to the effective implementation of the Policy and the enactment of the Homa Bay County Reproductive Health Bill.
Access the policy here: https://www.kelinkenya.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/The-Homa-Bay-County-Reproductive-Health-Policy2.pdf
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For more information please contact, Elsie Milimu,
Senior Program Officer- SRHR, KELIN,
Email: elsiemilimu@kelinkenya.org
[1] https://www.kelinkenya.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/The-Homa-Bay-County-Reproductive-Health-Policy2.pdf
