Kenya's High Court reinstates safe abortion guidelines in historic ruling

Kenya's High Court reinstates safe abortion guidelines in historic ruling

Janet Carey
Janet Carey
1 Min.
Black-and-white photograph of nurses at Kiyuyu Hospital in Kenya Colony holding babies outdoors, with trees and sky in the background.

Kenya's High Court reinstates safe abortion guidelines in historic ruling

The High Court of Kenya delivered a landmark ruling on 12th June 2019 in the case of Federation of Women Lawyers (Fida - Kenya) & 3 others v Attorney General & 2 others. The judgment addressed the withdrawal of safe abortion guidelines and training for healthcare workers The case began when petitioners challenged the Ministry of Health’s move to scrap the 2012 Standards and Guidelines for Reducing Morbidity and Mortality from Unsafe Abortion and the Training Curriculum on Comprehensive Abortion Care. They argued that Kenya lacked safe The ruling reinstates the 2012 guidelines and training curriculum, ensuring healthcare providers can offer safe abortion care under legal conditions. It also sets a precedent for constitutional protections in cases involving reproductive health and medical training standards.