Four Kenyan women living with HIV have each been granted $20,000 (£16,000) in damages for being sterilized without their informed consent.
These women, who fought a nine-year legal battle, faced bilateral tubal ligation (BTL), a procedure closing fallopian tubes to prevent future pregnancies. Penda, Neema, Furaha, and Faraja shared their experiences with the BBC, revealing how they were pressured into BTL after childbirth. The Kenyan High Court ruled that this procedure without informed consent violated their fundamental rights, including the right to establish a family. Damages will be paid jointly by Marie Stopes International, Pumwani Maternity Hospital, and Médecins Sans Frontières. The court’s decision is seen as significant for HIV-positive women in Africa who have faced sterilization pressure.
