The fight for women’s rights and gender equality faces a critical moment in 2025, 30 years on after the Beijing Conference on Women’s Rights. The global resurgence of patriarchy and the policy shifts reinstating restrictive reproductive health policies signal a dangerous trend of the threat to hard-won progress in gender equality and women’s rights everywhere.
In March 2025, a broad spectrum of key stakeholders gathered in Mogadishu, Somalia, to discuss how to build a sustainable ecosystem for maternal and reproductive health care. A strategic roadmap emerged from the multi-day event, along with a shared commitment by stakeholders to implement the plan and transform the country’s maternal and reproductive health landscape.
Adolescents in Kenya stand at a critical crossroads, facing what has been aptly termed the “triple threat”: new HIV infections, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), and teenage pregnancies. Each of these challenges alone poses a significant barrier to the health, safety, and potential of young people. Together, their intersection creates a dangerous web of vulnerabilities that threaten to derail an entire generation.
Period poverty remains a pressing challenge in Kenya, disproportionately affecting teenage girls in rural areas. According to research by the Ministry of Health, 54% of Kenyan girls face challenges accessing menstrual health management (MHM) products, and 65% still lack sustainable access to safe menstrual products. This crisis derails their education, exposes them to early marriages, and perpetuates the cycle of poverty.
In the heart of Kenya, from the bustling urban center of Kiambu to the rural landscapes of Kakamega, a quiet revolution in the delivery of medical abortion services (also known as abortion with pills) is taking place through the Medical Abortion Self Use (MASU) project.
In Uganda, as in many developing countries across Africa, low utilisation of modern contraceptives among young people has been attributed to a variety of factors.
These include limited access to contraceptive services, negative perceptions, and concerns about side effects.
As Gen Zs across the country were mobilising themselves on social media to push for reforms in government, another set of youth in Homa Bay was using the same platform to advocate for their sexual and reproductive rights (SRHR).
Homa Bay County is experiencing a condom shortage as organisations advocating for sexual and reproductive health rights urge prompt action to stop the spread of HIV infections.
The women of the beehive project stand near the beehives. The project started when the Women decided that they wanted to empower themselves. They approached Entashata CBO for help and started the bee hive project. They have a bank account where they keep all the proceeds from the honey that they sell.
“Through this project we have become empowered and independent. From the income we have gotten we have been able to help the needy and sponsored two children through school.”
One of the major challenges that they face is lack of equipment for harvesting and sometimes the honey goes to waste because they do not have the harvesting gear and apparatus. They also need better stands for their bee hives because termites attack the stands that they currently have.
“The trainings really opened my eyes to issues that I did not know of before. I have preached what I was taught to my fellow women in the community because I want them to also benefit from this knowledge. I have also learnt about my rights and where to seek help from incase I am in trouble.”
“Through this project I was able to go to school. I also escaped FGM and I have been empowered to be self-independent all around.”
The Women of Blessing Womens Group gather for their weekly meeting with PACIDA in Suguta Marmar in Samburu County.
Trees that are brought by PACIDA and distributed to the Women for planting.
Kenya PACIDA John Jamaica Lediipo is an environmental officer from Samburu County who collaborates with PACIDA in training on tree planting takes the women through a session teaching them about the trees that they brought and how to plant and take care of them. John...
Kenya PACIDA Janet Lemerimuka beneficiary of the Womens Group Kitchen garden shows us her kitchen garden. “Before the initiative, I did not know anything about kitchen gardens. I did not know about climate change, the benefits of planting trees and diet and the causes...
Kenya PACIDA Anna Letikirish a beneficiary of the kitchen garden initiative by PACIDA stands in her kitchen garden. “This project has really helped me. I have been educated on farming and the benfits of having a kitchen garden. From my kitchen garden I get vegetables...
Kenya PACIDA Naomi Letikich a beneficiary of the kitchen garden initiative in her kitchen garden. “Through this project I have learnt about farming and how to do it correctly. I have also learnt about the imortance of having a kitchen garden especially in a dry area...
Kenya PACIDA Abdia of PACIDA talks with members of Namaiyana youth group during their weekly meeting. Abdia demonstrates how to use the washable sanitary towels and menstrual cups to the girls. © Esther Sweeney / Ipas
Kenya PACIDA Christine Lekamario and Margaret Leparkry of Namaiyana Youth Group at the youth group’s weekly meeting. Christine Lekamario of Namaiyana Youth Group. “Before PACIDA I did not know about hygiene especially on the importance of digging toilets to reduce the...
Kenya PACIDA Public health offiicer, Sharon Kipsongor chats with one of the girls from Namaiyana Youth Group. Christine Lekamario of Namaiyana Youth group leaves with her tree from PACIDA that she will go and plant in her kitchen garden. © Esther Sweeney / Ipas
Kenya PACIDA Julietta Lekinasia a beneficiary of PACIDA through Blessing Womens Group in her kitchen garden. Through PACIDA, Julietta was able to travel to Makueni County to see what the Women are doing with reagrds to farming. “I was very inspired by the Women in...
