Every Woman Deserves the Freedom to Choose Her Future
For many women living with HIV in Western Kenya, reproductive health is about much more than medical services. It is about dignity, relationships, economic independence, access to reliable information, and the right to make informed decisions without fear or discrimination.
Some women wish to become mothers but fear HIV transmission to their children. Others want to delay or prevent pregnancy but face financial dependence, stigma, geographical isolation or unequal decision-making power. Kar Geno – Centre for Hope believes that a woman's HIV status should never determine her worth or take away her reproductive choices.
Through our longstanding community engagement with women affected by HIV, we have heard concerns about unintended pregnancy, stigma, fear of HIV transmission, confidentiality and difficulties reaching respectful healthcare. These challenges cannot be understood in isolation from poverty, gender inequality and limited opportunities for rural women.
We seek to strengthen rights-based information on contraception, pregnancy intentions, bodily autonomy, informed consent and access to appropriate sexual and reproductive health services. Women should be able to make voluntary decisions without coercion or discrimination.