VIOLENCE CONFLICT AND CULTURE

FORCED AND COERCED STERILIZATION:- A FORM OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WLHIV

Teresia Otieno July, 2014

Presentation Outline

Experiences of forced and coerced sterilization in Kenya

Opportunities for Advocacy

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ICW leads the way

2005 - ICW exposes cases of forced/coerced sterilization of women living with HIV in Namibia.

2008 – Women who have experienced sterilization file suit to challenge the unlawful sterilization of women living with HIV.

2010 – ICW identifies cases of forced and coerced sterilization in Kenya and Eastern Africa

ICW Members and partners documented experiences of WLHIV on forced and coerced sterilization in Kenya.

Study Findings in Kenya Forty women were sampled aged between

18 –54 years 85% of the participants are unemployed

without income. 75% of the cases happened at private

health care facilities, while 25% at public health care facilities

50% of the participants were coerced and 50% were forcefully sterilized.

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How involuntary sterilization happened? TL done during an emergency cesarean

section Consent form signature obtained when the

woman was in labor Sterilization was required as a condition

for getting support healthcare providers belief that WLH

should not have children or that they had too many children already.

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How involuntary sterilization happened?

Spouse and/or parents gave consent for sterilization on behalf of the women.

Misinformation by healthcare providers about their family planning choices or the risks of future pregnancies to their health and that of their baby.

Sterilized because of their disability and HIV status

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Impacts of sterilization experience Intimate partner violence-Psychological

and physical violence e.g partner walks out on disclosure of sterilization status

Dis-inheritance of matrimonial property because she cannot bear children for the family

Frequent abdominal and back pains- Botched procedure?

Reduced sex desire- Gynecological explanation?

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Study Recommendations

National survey to better understand the scope of the problem

Review of the national family planning guidelines to align to international standards including the FIGO guidelines.

Clear-cut training on procedures around sterilization for all women with emphasis on the counseling and consent obtaining procedures.

Public education on reproductive health rights and choices for women living with HIV targeted to both women and men.

Accessibility to medical records, all patients should have access to their medical records

Current Challenges

Lack of recognition amongst women living with HIV and health care workers of what constitute violations of sexual and reproductive rights.

Challenging to find women willing to endure the arduous and difficult process of litigation.

Unfavorable legal environments. Denial from authorities that this is a systemic pattern,

focus on individual instances. Need to strengthen the institutional capacity of HIV-

positive women’s networks to be able to document, monitor and publicize human rights violations experienced by women and girls living with HIV and to use this evidence in policy advocacy.

Setting the Agenda

Advocacy Strategies: Litigation, More Research, Advocacy, Mobilization and Media Engagement.

Forced & Coerced Sterilization Working Group in Kenya

Connect women living with HIV and their allies. Share strategies and knowledge. Raise awareness at the national and global

Level. National and regional campaigns to end forced

and coerced sterilization. Building a global advocacy

campaign- together

THANK YOU!11