Seven years after introducing the EAC Sexual Reproductive Health Bill, retired legislator Dr Odette Nyiramilimo returned to the EALA General Purpose Committee to share her insights on the rationale behind the bill that aims to standardise the safeguarding of sexual and reproductive health for all individuals across the region.

Nyiramilimo, who served two terms in EALA, initiated the bill during her tenure, which concluded in 2017.

Addressing a three-day orientation meeting for the new EALA General Purpose Committee MPs on the bill, Nyiramilimo provided the rationale of the bill, highlighting its broad range of measures designed to tackle diverse challenges in sexual reproductive health in the region.

She pointed out that bills such as the EAC Sexual Reproductive Health serve as remedies for gaps and challenges in different communities.

"This particular bill was conceived to address a range of issues, including the prevention of newborn, child, and maternal mortality. It seeks to reduce and eliminate unsafe abortions, HIV, and other sexually transmitted infections, alongside addressing the prevalence of early and unintended teenage pregnancies,” she explained.

Beyond addressing challenges, Nyiramilimo emphasised that the bill also seeks to advance human rights and prohibit and combat harmful practices that continue to frustrate girls and women from realising their full potential.

"In certain African cultures, young girls and women are subjected to the practice of female genital mutilation, where their private parts undergo cutting and suturing, a cruel tradition aimed at controlling their sexuality. The pressures imposed by families and perpetuated by communities on the bodies of girls and women amount to severe violations of their rights,” she stated.

She urged partner states, which are often in opposition to provisions in the bill related to family planning, to emphasise the importance of prioritising quality over quantity.

She highlighted that larger families might contribute to the persistent poverty prevalent across our continent.

"We need to assess the proportion of our children that access university education. Limiting family size could greatly support their educational pursuits. It’s crucial to advocate for a well-educated, high-quality population,” she said.

Revised bill

Despite this, the bill has previously been withdrawn after gaps were identified and a revised edition reintroduced.

For instance, consultations among stakeholders concluded that the language used didn’t align with the domestic laws of Partner States, necessitating a redraft to incorporate crucial international instruments like the Maputo Protocol.

This protocol plays a significant role in safeguarding the rights of women and girls in Africa and holds governments accountable for any violations.

The stakeholders suggested that the revised bill needed to address several critical aspects beyond HIV protection for adolescents and young people, particularly in terms of reproductive health rights.

Additionally, it was observed that the absence of provisions concerning male involvement and the lack of acknowledgment of the influence of culture and religion were substantial gaps. These elements play a pivotal role in interpreting issues such as abortion, family planning, and fertility within the region.

Challenges around misinformation

However, the current sponsor and mover of the bill, EALA MP Kennedy Mukulia said that despite all gaps being addressed, misinformation and failure of many stakeholders to understand the objective of the bill still exist.

"A significant number of people think the bill is Western, which is a complete distortion. The bill is East African and for East Africans,” he said.

Mukulia, who also serves as the Chairperson of the General Purpose Committee at the regional assembly, said that although the bill has now covered many aspects of sexual and reproductive health, many people continue to reduce this bill to abortion and comprehensive sexuality education.

Despite these challenges, Mukulia called for courage to continue pushing the Bill forward.

"We want to protect the EAC citizens, therefore, we continue to be determined to get the EAC Sexual Reproductive Health Bill passed,” he said.

The Executive Director of Health Development Initiative (HDI-Rwanda), Dr Aflodis Kagaba, emphasised the critical nature of the delayed EAC SRH Bill. He stressed that while access to safe abortion services remains a controversial topic for some, the prolonged delay in passing this bill poses significant risks to the health and safety of women and girls.

"Research indicated that these limitations force many women and girls into resorting to unsafe abortion methods. Prioritising the passage of this bill is crucial to protecting the health and safeguarding the rights of every individual within the East African Community,” he said.

Davina Kamikazi Muhikira, a 19-year-old university student, urged the committee to integrate more youth perspectives into their legislative processes.

"Are adolescents aware of the ongoing conversation about this bill? What are the alternatives if this bill doesn’t pass? As young people, we prefer laws and policies to be more practical than theoretical. It’s crucial to consistently consider the perspective of adolescents who frequently deal with the challenges being discussed in this room,” she said.

Addressing the participants, Sheikh Ibrahim Lethome Asmani of the Faith to Action Network, pledged to advocate for the SRH Bill and amplify its support.

Emphasising the importance of inclusivity and dialogue, he expressed his commitment to initiating constructive conversations and raising awareness within diverse religious communities about the bill’s positive impact.

"By fostering respectful engagement and education, we can strive for consensus and advance sexual and reproductive health rights within various faith-based communities,” he said.

Significance of the bill at regional level

The EAC SRH Bill introduces a structured system of accountability. One key provision, Article 27, mandates EAC member states to submit progress status reports to the Secretary-General every two years.

If passed, all partner states of the EAC will be required to integrate sexual and reproductive health in their efforts towards universal health coverage.