Two human rights organisations have urged the Senate to take action on the rising cases of teenage pregnancies.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission and Muslims for Human Rights say the situation threatens to steal the girls futures.
Curbing sexual violence and protecting vulnerable minors are some of the actions the lobbies want the House to take.
The push follows a troubling report from the Lamu county gender sector working group showing that the area recorded 1,073 cases of teen pregnancies between 2024 and May 2025.
Of these, 789 cases occurred last year and 284 were recorded between January and May 2025.
The report was submitted to the Nancy Baraza-led Presidential Technical Taskforce on Gender-Based Violence, including femicide, which is currently collecting memoranda and presentations nationwide.
Muhuri, which also submitted its findings to the task force, said many of these pregnancies were as a result of rape, defilement and early marriages—issues pointing to deeper failures in prevention and justice systems.
The scale of the crisis, however, extends far beyond Lamu. According to the National Syndemic Disease Control Council, an average of 696 adolescent girls were impregnated every day in 2023.
Last year, KHRC listed top 10 counties with the highest rates of teenage pregnancies among girls aged 15 to19. The counties include Nairobi, Bungoma, Nakuru, Machakos, Kiambu, Kakamega, Meru, Kilifi, Narok and Kisii.
The organisation also highlighted counties with the highest per capita contribution to the national crisis.
As a symbolic form of protest, KHRC issued “red cards” to the Health Cabinet Secretary and governors of the worst-affected counties, declaring them unfit for public office due to what it termed as failures to protect girls and ensure their return to school.
These red cards were followed by formal petitions to the Senate, National Assembly and Council of Governors. KHRC and Muhuri are now urging the Senate to reconsider the petition and summon governors to explain their county-level responses to the crisis.
The groups are also calling on the National Assembly to summon Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale to clarify Kenya’s policy on adolescent health and to reaffirm its commitment to the Eastern and Southern Africa Commitment on Comprehensive Sexuality Education.
They further demand that Education Cabinet Secretary Migois Ogamba be summoned to outline strategies for the unconditional re-admission of pregnant girls into schools to ensure they receive psychosocial support.
The organisations want governors to be compelled to address root causes of teenage pregnancy by working with community health promoters, and partnering with the Ministry of Education in guaranteeing continued education for pregnant girls.
Additionally, they are calling for public condemnation of stigma and discrimination against teen mothers and for collaboration with the Ministry of Health to fill policy gaps around adolescent pregnancy prevention and management.
Governors, as the grassroots face of government, must also be seen encouraging parents to meet their obligations under the Children’s Act and Constitution to protect their children’s wellbeing.
Instant Analysis:Kenya’s teen pregnancy crisis is no longer a statistic—it is a national emergency. Without swift, coordinated action, the compounded impact of sexual violence, stigma, and school dropout will erode the future of an entire generation.
