Harmful Practices Related to Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights Affecting Young People Living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya

Abstract

Globally several young people living with HIV/AIDS continue to suffer from various types of harmful practices related to Sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR). This is in contravention of their SRHR fundamental human rights as enshrined in national, regional, and international laws and agreements. In Eastern and Southern Africa, an estimated 19.6 million people were living with HIV/AIDS as of 2017, and an extra 800,000 people were newly infected yearly.  This study aimed to discover the harmful practices in society related to sexual and reproductive health rights affecting young people living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya. This was a cross-sectional study involving a sample of 224 adolescents and young people from Nairobi City County and Homabay County in Kenya. The study used both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and analysis. Before the study commenced ethical approvals were acquired from the Kenyatta University Ethics and Review Committee, National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation, County Governments, and selected County and Sub-County health facilities in Kenya. The study established that various harmful practices were directed at adolescent Young People living with HIV/AIDS. The harmful practices include stigma and discrimination (87.9%); physical abuse (53.5%); rape (50.5%); being barred from SRHR services (29.3%) and forced contraception (24.3%). Furthermore, it was noted that the perpetrators of harmful practices included relatives (73.7%); guardians (64.7%); boda-boda riders (51.5%); parents (38.4%); police officers (13.1%) and healthcare providers (11.1%). Since many harmful practices among AYP living with HIV/AIDS remain underreported, survivors of harmful practices should be encouraged to promptly report the vices to the relevant authority for action. The National and County governments should formulate regulatory and policy frameworks aimed at protecting adolescent young people living with HIV/AIDS from harmful vices.

Keywords: Harmful practices, Sexual and reproductive health rights, young people living with HIV/AIDS

DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/112-04

Publication date: December 31^st 2023