Gender diversity, sexuality and bodily autonomy should be respected in family unit

A group of friends join hands in a word of prayer after a family friend's day out at the Nairobi Arboretum. [Patrick Vidija, Standard]

The UN International Day of Families is celebrated every year to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase the knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families. While protection of the family unit is important, embracing the diverse spectrum of family structures, including single-parent, blended families and now, same-sex parent families in some jurisdictions is paramount. Gender diversity, sexuality and bodily autonomy should also be respected in the family unit.

The Constitution of Kenya under Article 45 recognizes the family as the natural and fundamental unit of society and the state commits to protect the family unit. But what happens when the very values that should be embraced in the family are no longer present, including love, respect, and safety? For generations, perseverance stood as the cornerstone of marital unions, discouraging separation or divorce even in cases of abuse, compelling many women to endure untenable situations.