A recent study by the Ministry of Health, the African Population and Health Research Centre, and the Guttmacher Institute has shown that an estimated 792,694 induced abortions occurred in Kenya in 2023[1].

The study also revealed that more than half of all women with post-abortion complications received treatment in public health facilities.

However, the capacity of health facilities to provide basic and comprehensive post-abortion care was low, with only 18.3 per cent of primary health facilities offering all the elements of basic post-termination care and 24.1 per cent of referral-level facilities providing the full package of comprehensive post-abortion care.

These statistics align with research findings indicating that 355 women die each year for every 100,000 live births due to pregnancy-related complications. Additionally, five women were reported to have died from abortion-related complications, while eight others remained in a coma. The report further disclosed that 16.6 per cent of the cases were deemed potentially life-threatening outcomes that could have been prevented with timely and adequate medical intervention.

According to the Abuja Declaration[2], the government must allocate at least 15 per cent of its annual budget to the health sector. Kenya, however, has fallen short of this target.

In the 2022-2023 financial year, the government allocated Sh116.42 billion to the health docket against an annual budget of Sh2.25 trillion, representing 5.17 per cent of the total budget[3]. In the financial year 2023-2024, the health docket received Sh134.437 billion against an annual budget of Sh3.7 trillion, which is 3.63 per cent[4]. In the financial year 2024-2025, the government allocated Sh127 billion to the health sector against an annual budget of Sh3.992 trillion, representing 3.18 per cent[5].

Notably, the free maternal care program has experienced a reduced budget allocation of nearly half. For instance, in the financial year 2023-2024[6], it received Sh4 billion, but during the current financial year, this amount was cut to Sh2 billion.

The failure to align funding with the Abuja Declaration has resulted in a lack of adequate sexual and reproductive health services[7]. Several key studies and reports[8] have documented the link between inadequate government financing for sexual and reproductive health services and the prevalence of unsafe abortions.

Additionally, some unsafe abortions are consequences of rape and defilement. A 2023 report by the Center for Reproductive Rights highlights that despite constitutional protections under Article 26(4), which permits abortion when a trained health professional deems it necessary for the health or life of the woman, many survivors of rape and defilement are forced into unsafe abortions due to stigma, fear of prosecution, and lack of clear legal guidance. The report documents cases where women and girls who became pregnant from sexual violence were criminalized or denied safe abortion care, pushing them towards clandestine, unsafe procedures that risk their lives[9].

Today, the Reproductive Health and Rights Alliance (RHRA) expresses deep concern over the government's continued failure to adequately address sexual and reproductive health gaps, particularly in the prevention and response to rape and defilement. These systemic gaps have contributed to rising cases of teenage pregnancies, increased school dropouts among girls, and life-threatening maternal complications resulting from unsafe abortions.

Despite repeated commitments to the constitutional right to the highest attainable standard of health, Kenya’s sexual and reproductive health landscape remains marred by neglect, weak accountability, and inadequate investment[10].

The failure of law enforcement, health institutions, and policy actors to respond effectively to rape and defilement has left many young girls pregnant, stigmatized, and forced to abandon their education. Instead of receiving justice and care, survivors are often silenced by cultural taboos, weak legal enforcement, and a health system that is ill-prepared to offer timely, comprehensive post-rape services[11].

These failures have dire consequences. Teenage girls who become pregnant because of rape or defilement are more likely to seek unsafe abortions, face lifelong trauma, or become trapped in cycles of poverty and abuse[12]. Many are unable to complete their education, effectively derailing their futures and deepening gender inequality[13].

The government’s inability to address the intersection of sexual violence, teenage pregnancy, and inadequate sexual and reproductive health services undermines Kenya’s development goals.

Demands

The Reproductive Health and Rights Alliance, therefore, demands:

1. The government must allocate adequate resources, especially for reproductive health services and maternal healthcare, during its next financial year of 2025-2026.
2. Institutional accountability in handling rape and defilement cases, including effective investigation, prosecution, and survivor support.
3. Scale-up of youth-friendly and adolescent-specific sexual reproductive health services, including emergency contraception, safe abortion where legally permitted, and psychosocial support.
4. Mandatory re-entry policies for pregnant girls and robust school retention strategies.
5. Nationwide campaigns to combat stigma, educate communities, and empower survivors.

 References

[1] Incidence of Induced Abortion and the Severity of Abortion-related Complications in Kenya: Findings of  a National Study (2025)

[2] Article 26 of Abuja Declaration 2001

[3] https://www.treasury.go.ke/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/HEALTH-SECTOR-MTEF-PRESENTATION-2024-21.11.2024.pdf

[4] https://www.treasury.go.ke/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/HEALTH-SECTOR-MTEF-PRESENTATION-2024-21.11.2024.pdf

[5] https://www.treasury.go.ke/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Budget-Highlights-The-Mwananchi-Guide-for-the-FY-2024-25-Budget.pdf

[6] https://www.treasury.go.ke/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Budget-Summary-for-the-FY-2023_24.pdf

[7] https://africapractice.com/kenyas-health-reforms-raise-funding-conundrum/

[8] Marie Stopes Kenya 2024 Capacity Statement-https://mariestopes.or.ke/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/08/2024-CStatement-Final-Ed-1.pdf

African Population and Health Research Centre-https://aphrc.org/blogarticle/kenya-spends-millions-treating-unsafe-abortion-complications/

Kenya Medical Association-https://kma.co.ke/images/CHIEF_CONSPIRATORS_IN_UNSAFE_ABORTION_AND_MATERNAL_DEATHS_IN_KENYA.pdf

[9] https://reproductiverights.org/report-lives-at-stake-as-more-kenyan-women-and-girls-opt-for-unsafe-abortion-despite-constitutional-protections/

[10] https://www.femnet.org/2022/12/factsheet-sexual-reproductive-health-and-rights-at-a-glance-kenya/

[11]  African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) – “Sexual Violence and Its Impact on Girls’ Education in Kenya” (2022); https://kenya.unfpa.org/

[12] Population Reference Bureau’s 2015 Status Update on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health- https://www.prb.org/resources/status-update-adolescent-sexual-and-reproductive-health-in-kenya/

Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022 key indicators report (2022)

[13] https://reproductiverights.org/nation-mutiso-onyango-thondu-kenya-survivors-access-abortion/