It is estimated that the average teen pregnancy rate in 2017 stood at 25% with Homa Bay, Lamu, Siaya and Busia reporting rates of 40% and above.
The unmet need for contraceptives amongst the 15 – 19-year-olds stands at 27%.
Currently, three out of five adolescents worldwide – or 23 million people – who want to use contraceptives to prevent an unplanned pregnancy are being denied it.
Adolescents are often told that sex outside marriage is wrong, while some countries have even created laws to block unmarried adolescents from accessing contraceptives.
When they do marry – often while still very young – they face pressure to have children almost immediately.
"Too often, society treats young people as irresponsible or naïve, and withholds the resources they need to prevent or delay unplanned pregnancies," Dana Tilson, Country Director at Marie Stopes Kenya, said.
"At Marie Stopes Kenya, we know this situation has to change if we are to see a world in which every girl has the same opportunities as the boys around her."
Blocking access to contraceptives and comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) does not prevent young people from having sex, but instead increases the chance that young women will experience an unplanned pregnancy, often derailing their hopes and dreams for the future.
The impact of this is devastating. Complications from pregnancy are the leading cause of death among young women aged 15-19, many due to unsafe abortion.
Unplanned pregnancy can also limit the ability of young people to remain in education and realise their full potential, resulting in greater costs to society through lower wages for women and increased population growth.
"When women and girls have access to contraception, it is transformative for their future: Fewer girls drop out of school, fewer young women die giving birth, and more young women enter the workforce. This benefits the country as a whole," added Tilson.