Nairobi - December 19, 2022 – After an 8 year wait, women living with HIV who have been fighting to achieve justice for forced and coerced sterilization have been handed a major win by the High Court of Kenya. The court has ruled that a health care provider had forced a woman living with HIV to undergo tubal ligation without her consent. The court held that sterilizing her without her consent was discriminatory and violated her rights, including her rights to dignity, freedom from discrimination to the highest attainable standard of health and to found a family. The petitioner (known only as LAW to protect her identity) was awarded Kshs. 3,000,000.00 in damages.
Patricia Asero, ICW Kenya Chair, Inviolata Mwali Mmbwavi, Former ICW Kenya Coordinator & Allan Malleche, KELIN Executive Director address the press outside the court in Nairobi.
