Senator Kihika says State must protect rights of women, girls with disabilities

Nakuru County Senator Susan Kihika is pushing for consensual sterilisation of women.

The bill, which proposes punishment for health practitioners involuntarily sterilising the women also seeks to protect HIV positive women and girls, as well as those living with disabilities, from abuse.

"Further Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women raised issues with the failure to protect the health, sexual and reproductive health and rights of women with disabilities including the practice of forced sterilisation," said Ms Kihika.

During 9th Africa Conference on Sexual Health and Rights held in Nairobi in February this year, Ms Prisca Akumu, a physically challenged woman living in Kibra slums shared her experience on coerced sterilisation.

Ms Kihika emphasised that the State has a duty to protect the rights of women and girls with disabilities, ensuring that they have equal access to health care services.