Nairobi, KENYA: The task force on policy, legal institutional and administrative Reforms Regarding Intersex persons in Kenya on Monday launched the Nationwide Data Collection towards the realization of some of the challenges they undergo.
According to scientists, an ‘Intersex person’ is on one whose sex characteristics are not exclusively defined as male or female.
According to Kenya Law Reforms Commission (KLRC) chairman, Mbage Njuguna, Intersex people need to be recognized as the third gender thus, the need to compile a comprehensive data regarding the number, distribution and challenges of intersex persons.
He added that the task force will recommend comprehensive reforms to safeguard the interest of intersex persons as well as undertake comprehensive literature review based on a comparative approach to care, treatment and protection of the intersex person.
“The task force has been consulting broadly with all stakeholders to ensure the rights of intersex persons are protected and promoted,” said Ng’anga.
The task force aims to collect comprehensive data regarding the number, distribution and challenges of intersex persons in Kenya which will be followed by broad public consultation in counties to solicit input from all relevant stakeholders in the spirit of public participation.
Upon completion of this phase, the data will be analyzed and the task force will then compile a final report with comprehensive recommendations on immediate medium and long-term reforms governing intersex person in Kenya. The draft report will thereafter be subjected to further public consultations and stakeholder validation before finalization and official submission to the Attorney General by the end of October 2018.
Kiambu Women Representative Gathoni Wamucumba during the launch said she will draft a bill in the parliament after receiving the task force report for Intersex recognition in the future.
In Kenya today, it is estimated that between 1.7 and 3.0 percent of the global population is intersex.
Consequently, this group could be approximated to be at a population of 1.4 million persons in Kenya.
However, the exact number cannot be established owing to inadequate research.
