Kamukunji residents demand comprehensive sexual education programmes

Residents of Airbase Ward in Kamukunji Constituency signed a petition on Monday, requesting comprehensive sexuality and reproductive health education.

The petition was signed by members of the communities, led by organisations and local authorities, during a forum meant to sensitise the community on sexual health, held at Penuel Education in Airbase Ward. 

Residents complained that teenage pregnancies were on the rise, and local politicians, and county and national governments, including the ministries of health and education, needed to coordinate and ensure their ultimate eradication.

Causes and worrying statistics 

According to the Nairobi County Adolescent and Youth Reproductive Health Implementation Framework (2020-2023), Embakasi South reported the highest percentage of teenage pregnancies in Nairobi, standing at 28 per cent, followed by Kamukunji at 17.1 per cent.

The Airbase Ward, within Eastleigh, where the petition was signed, has a population of nearly 63,665 residents, with females comprising 47.9 per cent (30,527) and men at 52.1 per cent (33,138). 

"Adolescent sexuality is a burden facing Kamukunji sub-county like other communities in Nairobi and remains a reality that continues to bring forth negative outcomes in the lives of children. Parents, guardians, elders, young people, and even local authorities from the Airbase Ward acknowledge that teenage pregnancies have caused an increase in child-led families, dropping out of schools by both boys and girls, and even joining gangs and violent extremism groups to sustain the children and families," reads the petition.  

One of the major factors contributing to the high number of teenage pregnancies, according to the petitioners, was the absence of parents to guide their children. Parents were accused of being too engrossed in fending for their families to the point of neglecting their children’s psychological needs. 

“The lack of communication between parents and their children is what makes the situation worse. They need to openly discuss such topics with their children," Sarah Kimani, one of the parents who attended the forum, stated.

Halima Ibrahim, a community health promoter at Airbase, added that parents also lacked enough education regarding handling teenage pregnancies. 

"In the most shocking cases, some of the parents enable the unjust environment of teenage pregnancies for their underage daughters. They are okay with it as long as the man provides for the girl and caters for their families as well," Halima highlighted. 

Ramwaka Nyazua, a member of the Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Alliance, commonly known as the SRHR Alliance, added that Airbase Ward is leading in teen pregnancies in Kamukunji, attributed to a very big educational gap. 

SRHR Alliance is a national coalition of 19 civil society organisations spread across the country dedicated to promoting, advancing, and protecting the sexual and reproductive health and rights of adolescent girls and young women, vulnerable and marginalised groups aged 10-24 years in Kenya.

Airbase location chief Nicholas Maingi signs a petition presented to him on comprehensive sexuality education and reproductive health education for youths during a sensitisation event held at the Penuel Education Complex in Kamukunji, Nairobi, on April 22, 2024. (Photo: Justine Ondieki)

Young voices speak out 

A 16-year-old girl who attended the forum lamented that there was not enough information and education about sexual reproduction for teenagers around Eastleigh. 

"Most of the things I know about sexual reproduction I learned from school. I am glad we have such forums in the community and more sensitisation" says GB, whose name was withheld for privacy reasons and laws guiding the coverage of underage and school-going children. 

“We are usually taught more about abstinence and nothing more. I got to learn a lot here today - things I did not know before," added ED, a Form Two student. 

Solutions 

Ramwaka Nyazua, a member of the Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Alliance stated that she hopes the petition reaches the relevant duty bearers, like Airbase Ward member of the county assembly (MCA), Fuad Hussein, and the county health sector.

The stakeholders were urged to adopt the recommendations presented and also cover any loopholes not addressed. 

“We are doing a campaign called “Red Card Kwa Grao, which is an extension of the campaign launched by the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC). We presented the data to the community data and showed them how grim the situation was. We looked for solutions together hence the petition,” Ramwaka Nyazua stated.  

“The petition is a voice of the community and a test for the leaders as well. The community has been empowered with the data and ready for solutions and we shall judge the leaders based on how they will address the issue. So this petition serves as both a call for accountability from our leaders and an empowerment of our community.”

Adan Mohammed, one of the founders of Fikra Moja, a youth-led movement based in Eastleigh that advocates for sexual and reproductive health, added that they addressed the petition to local politicians and county and national governments, to try and curb the high rate of teen pregnancies around Airbase Ward. 

"We requested an education system where children are taught about sexual reproduction health and the hospitals to be packed with educational materials and medicines, including contraceptives," Adan explained. 

Duty bearers were also asked to put in place policies and guidelines to commence the implementation of Comprehensive Sexual Education (CSE), integrate age-appropriate CSE programmes in schools and healthcare facilities, and implement community outreach initiatives to provide accurate information and empower young people to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.

The petition also called for the reinstatement of independent, youth-friendly centres as opposed to integrated ones. The centres should also be well-equipped and stocked with the necessary contraceptives, family planning methods, and maternal healthcare services to meet the needs of adolescents and young people seeking reproductive health support.

"Promote parental and community engagement, encourage an open dialogue between parents, guardians, and young people regarding sexuality and reproductive health, and provide resources and training for parents to communicate with their children about sexual health effectively," the petition states. 

They further requested the support of adolescent and youth empowerment programmes, investment in programmes that promote adolescent and youth education, skills development, and access to economic opportunities to reduce vulnerabilities that contribute to early pregnancies. 

Other recommendations to solve the menace were increased public education and sensitisation of reproductive health, including contraceptives, and the risks of unintended pregnancy in Kenya.