On 30th May 2025, KELIN Kenya joined the Ministry of Health through the Division on Health Promotion and Education, academia, research institutions, public health champions, media and civil society partners for the official handover of the Physical Activity Policy Brief, spotlighting the urgent need for rights-based approaches to movement and health in Kenya.
The Policy Brief, developed through multi-sector collaboration, was officially handed over to the Ministry of Health, signalling a new chapter in legal accountability for health rights in Kenya. It outlines Strategic Interventions to promote physical activity across all age groups. It recommends a whole-of-society approach under four strategic pillars: Active Society, Active Environment, Active People and Active Systems. KELIN provided technical support throughout the development process of the policy brief and convened key stakeholders for drafting and review workshops.
Framed under Article 42 and 43 of the Constitution, the brief reaffirms that safe environments for walking, cycling, and active living are not just policy goals, they are constitutional entitlements. Participants called on county governments to invest in non-motorized transport infrastructure and prioritize public safety, equity, and wellness in urban planning.
In powerful state and non-state panel discussions, legal, academic, research and health experts emphasized that policy advocacy can and must be used to hold duty bearers accountable for unsafe, inactive environments. Multi sectoral collaboration, civic education, and targeted policy reforms were proposed to ensure citizens can claim their right to active spaces.
The conversation also tackled the role of the private sector, with calls to ensure implementation of physical activity initiatives including workplace laws to mandate physical activity programs, promote employee well-being, and ensure sustainable enforcement.
“Physical Activity is not just a personal initiative, it is a shared responsibility for all stakeholders to support a good quality of life,” Gladys Mugambi, Head, Division on Health Promotion and Education, Ministry of Health.
KELIN has been implementing projects that seek to contribute towards the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through advocating for policy measures that promote healthy diets and Physical activity. With the support of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), KELIN has been implementing a project aimed at strengthened regulatory and policy frameworks on healthy diets and physical activity through advocacy and multisectoral coordination in Kenya.
For more information, please contact:
Martha Ogutu
Health and Governance
P. O. Box 112 – 00202 KNH Nairobi,
Tel: 020, 2515790
E-mail: marthaogutu@kelinkenya.org
Website: www.kelinkenya.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kelinkenya
