By Ermiyas Males

Kenya is one of the countries in Africa where access to contraceptives remains a significant challenge, particularly among adolescents and young people. The lack of access to contraceptives puts young people at risk, Adolescents and young people have the right to access safe and effective methods of contraception to prevent unintended pregnancy and protect their reproductive health. However, many young people face barriers to accessing contraceptives. One major challenge is the lack of information and education on contraceptives. Young people and adolescents may not have accurate information on contraceptive methods, their effectiveness, and how to access them. This can result in them making uninformed decisions about their sexual health. Another challenge is the stigma surrounding contraceptive use. Most young people and adolescents feel embarrassed or ashamed to access contraceptive services due to cultural and religious beliefs that discourage premarital sex and contraceptive use. Furthermore, there are often limited contraceptive options available in health facilities, and stockouts of contraceptives are common. This leads young people and adolescents to beunable to access the specific contraceptive method they need.

To address these challenges, several initiatives have been launched in Nairobi by the Kenya Government in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund and other partners to help increase access to contraceptive services among adolescents and young people. One of these initiatives is the Youth Friendly Services (YFS) program, which is implemented in public health facilities across the city. The YFS program is designed to provide adolescents and young people with a safe and non-judgmental environment where they can access sexual and reproductive health services, including contraceptives. The program includes trained healthcare providers who are equipped to provide counseling and services to young people,

While these initiatives have shown promising results, more needs to be done to ensure that all adolescents and young people in Nairobi have access to contraceptives. This requires sustained efforts from the government, civil society organizations, and communities. Specifically, the government needs to invest more in sexual and reproductive health programs and ensure that healthcare providers are trained to provide services to young people. Civil society organizations also need to continue to raise awareness and advocate for policies that promote access to contraceptives for young people.

It’s crucial for governments and healthcare providers to ensure that young people have access to a wide range of contraceptive options, including long-acting reversible contraceptives, such as intrauterine devices (IUDs) and hormonal implants. These methods are highly effective and can provide young people with reliable and long-term protection against pregnancy.

In addition, comprehensive sexuality education programs can help young people make informed decisions about their reproductive health and understand how to effectively use and access contraceptives. It’s also important for healthcare providers to offer confidential and non-judgmental services to young people, and to dispel myths and misconceptions surrounding contraceptives.

It is time for we recognize the importance of adolescent and young adult reproductive health and to remove barriers to contraceptive access. By doing so, we can empower young people to make informed decisions about their bodies and futures and help them avoid unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.

Ermiyas Males is a sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Youth Advocate at NAYA Kenya.