The Ministry of Health has intensified efforts to safeguard adolescents from sexual and reproductive health risks by reinforcing the National Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) Policy. This policy, introduced three years ago, seeks to curb gender-based violence, prevent defilement, and reduce the rising cases of teenage pregnancies.
Dr. Jacqueline Kisia, Director of Sexual Reproductive Health at the Ministry, emphasized the urgency of these interventions, citing alarming statistics from the Kenya Demographic Health Survey. “Fifteen percent of children aged 10 to 18 have already given birth. This is a crisis. Children should not be having children,” she stressed.
Speaking at a media sensitization workshop in Nairobi under the Step Up to Access campaign, Dr. Christine Wambugu, Director of Adolescent Health, highlighted the crucial role of parental guidance. She revealed that the Ministry has introduced a parenting manual to assist caregivers in fostering open conversations with teenagers, ultimately helping delay early sexual activity. Furthermore, the Ministry has published Understanding Adolescents, a handbook designed to educate young people about their physical and emotional development.
The Step Up to Access campaign is a regional initiative led by Youth Advocates in Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. The campaign addresses pressing issues such as teenage pregnancies, gender-based violence, and HIV infections. Tatenda Songore, the Executive Director of the campaign, called for comprehensive reproductive health education in schools, urging policymakers to provide young people with accurate information and the tools they need to make informed choices.
With teenage pregnancies and sexual violence cases on the rise, the Ministry of Health’s strengthened policy is expected to play a critical role in protecting the country’s youth while promoting their overall well-being.
