The “Heshimu Uzazi” campaign got a major boost today when three credible women rights activists under the Nguvu change Leadership joined the fight to eradicate combat Obstetric Violence (OBV) in Kenya.
The campaign which was recently launched by Hon. Gathoni Wamuchomba to champion for health rights of expectant women in both maternity and delivery rooms is championing for the formulation of a national policy on OBV.
Coincidentally the landmark alliance comes hot on the heels of agitation by GAMAFRICA Foundation & Nguvu Change Leaders for a National Policy on Obstetric violence during the recent International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women that was marked on November 25.
Hon. Wamuchomba now has strong backing from Harriet Afandi, Josephine Mwende, and Deborah Monari, three young women who have been championing respectful healthcare for women in Kenya.
She said the “Heshimu Uzazi” campaign aptly translated as ‘Respect for Mothers’ intends to awaken the plight of women who remain unassisted and neglected as they struggle through childbirth, it is even worse if it involves women with disability.
“This is gender-based violence and needs to stop immediately! The stories of Harriet, Josephine, and Deborah, and scores of other women being mistreated in hospitals resonate with me and are indicative of the urgent need for legislation against the neglect and abuse that women are subjected to” she added.
She says her protégé’ organisation the Africa Foundation (GAMAFRICA), amplifies the call for action against OBV with the support of her fellow legislators under the banner of the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA), embodies an unflinching resolve to eradicate the vice and offer women a dignified childbirth.
“On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, it was heartening to see young women taking the lead to create change and spark more conversations around an issue that has remained unaddressed for so long. We hope to make the most of the next ’16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence’ observed globally, to create conversations that inform, impact, and influence change,” Hon. Wamuchomba averred.
Harriet Afandi, a Nguvu Change Leader from Vihiga County joined the struggle after experiencing first hand encounter with the state of neglect an expectant woman went through when her own sister underwent an emergency C-Section surgery 11 days after her due date because her clinical nurses told her that it was not the ‘right time’ yet.
She expressed fears that the delay caused by sheer oversight could have cost her life and that of the infant due to such negligence but is optimistic the “Heshimu Uzazi” campaign efforts will safeguard pregnant women from neglect and negligence.
Josephine Mwende’s case on the other hand lived the experience as she sheds light on the appalling discrimination she faced as an expecting mother with cerebral palsy. “I was rejected by one hospital after another because of my condition. It was heart-breaking when a doctor told my mother that they don’t handle such people,
Fortunately she finally delivered her baby at Kenyatta National Hospital and says, “Despite the misconception that women with cerebral palsy cannot or should not bear children, I not only gave birth to my son but also named him, ‘Gift.’ I hope no woman with cerebral palsy ever faces the pain, rejection, and humiliation that I went through.”
Another passionate advocate for the cause, Deborah Monari from Nairobi, is a dedicated nurse, who faced medical malpractice and violation of her patient rights within the very system that she trusted. “Many of us still remember the 2017 case of a woman who was forced to give birth on a hospital floor after being turned away from several facilities.
The campaign petition seeks to establish a Patient Rights Committee in all health institutions in Kenya to address the grievances of the women in the hands of ignorant and uncaring medics.
The term ‘Obstetric Violence’ is defined by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, as “a form of gender-based violence, exercised by those in charge of health care for pregnant persons accessing services during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. Obstetric violence remains a frequently disregarded form of violence against women. The insufficient awareness surrounding this issue significantly complicates the formulation of effective public policies aimed at preventing and eliminating it.
By Wangari Ndirangu
