On 10 December, we co-sponsored a pre-session meeting with diplomatic missions and UN agencies in Kenya, ahead of its 4th Universal Periodic Review (UPR) session in 2025. Held on International Human Rights Day, the event was convened and coordinated by the Kenya Legal Ethical Issues Network on HIV and AIDS (KELIN). In partnership with 22 organisations under the Right to Health thematic group, 7 representatives of diplomatic missions and 2 representatives from UN Agencies based in Kenya were present.  

The pre-session meeting provided an opportunity for resident missions to receive targeted and action-oriented recommendations from the Right to Health thematic group addressing concerns around health care in Kenya. It also facilitated meaningful engagement between diplomatic missions, UN agencies and civil society organisations (CSOs), enabling a deeper understanding of Kenya’s human rights landscape and its commitment to fulfil national and international obligations on the Right to Health. It is expected that the representatives of the resident missions will relay the recommendations shared to their permanent missions in Geneva, Switzerland, who shall then assess Kenya’s human rights situation approximately one month before the UPR Working Group session and relay the same to the state of Kenya. 

The Right to Health thematic group submitted its report to the UN Human Rights Council on 10 October, 2024, following an extensive drafting process in August-September. The report highlights the urgent need for the state to prioritise healthcare financing as a pivotal step toward addressing broader healthcare concerns in the sector. Our participation in the drafting and meeting aligns with our ongoing advocacy for sustainable financing of quality public healthcare services globally and at a national level.    

You can read the report here.