By Insight Post Uganda
Nairobi, Kenya
Josephine Mwende, a prominent disability rights activist and Nguvu Change Leader in Kenya, has embarked on a compelling campaign to bring systemic reforms to end Obstetric Violence (OBV) against disabled women in the country.
Obstetric violence encompasses any act or negligence by healthcare providers during pregnancy, childbirth, or the postpartum period that infringes upon a woman’s rights and well-being.
This form of violence may manifest through physical or verbal abuse, disrespect, humiliation, discrimination, or the imposition of medical procedures without informed consent.
On December 3, the International Day of People with Disability, Mwende, a mother with cerebral palsy, initiated a 16-day activism campaign against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), specifically focusing on safeguarding expectant mothers with disabilities.
Mwende’s online campaign is deeply rooted in her personal experience of encountering OBV in multiple hospitals during the birth of her son.
Facing rejection from various healthcare facilities due to her condition, Mwende emphasizes the need for a more equitable and supportive healthcare system for expectant mothers with disabilities across Kenya.
Recalling the heartbreak of being turned away by hospitals during labour, she shares, “As an expectant mother in labour, I was rejected by one hospital after another because of my condition.
It was heartbreaking when a doctor stated, ‘We don’t handle such people!’ She finally delivered her baby at Kenyatta National Hospital.”
Despite the misconception that women with cerebral palsy cannot or should not bear children, Mwende not only gave birth to her son, now six years old, but also took care of him up now.
“I hope no woman with cerebral palsy ever faces the pain, rejection, and humiliation that I went through,” she states.
In Kenya, the alarming issue of OBV poses a significant threat to the safety of pregnant women, jeopardizing the health and well-being of expectant mothers.
OBV disproportionately affects people with disabilities. Mwende urges the Kenyan government to regulate OBV, protect victims, and allow them to seek justice through fair legal means.
Hon. Gathoni Wamuchomba, the Member of Parliament for Githunguri Constituency, has pledged to support the campaign and the women.
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