Kenya was a signatory to the Eastern Southern Africa (ESA) ministerial commitment to comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and sexual reproductive health services for adolescents and young people. Evidence shows that CSE is vital to empower adolescents and young people and when boys and girls have access to comprehensive sexuality education they delay their sexual debut.

The commitment was reaffirmed by the ministers of health and education from 20 countries in 2016. Between 2015 and 2020 Kenya was expected to reduce unplanned pregnancies, eliminate gender-based violence, develop a comprehensive sexuality education curriculum and ensure access to youth-friendly sexual reproductive health services. This has not been the case as Kenya continues to experience a high number of teenage pregnancies among other negative health outcomes. The implementation period has ended amidst the pandemic and not much has been achieved. Sadly, adolescent girls and young women continue to be adversely affected by teenage pregnancy, gender-based violence, unsafe abortions, and lack of access to youth-friendly services. This is an unfinished agenda that needs to be realized, therefore,commitment .

We CALL upon the government of Kenya, adolescents, youth, UN agencies, state actors, and non-state actors to ACT by supporting age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education and access to youth-friendly services by recommitting to ESA CSE commitment. By signing this petition, you are joining in calling for action from the Kenyan government. Zamara Foundation, YCK, and YEM are organizations that promote sexual reproductive health and rights among girls and women and young people. Read, sign, and share the petition with your networks for Kenya to recommit to the ESA CSE commitments .