Women’s bodily autonomy is under attack around the world—reading headlines here in Kenya provides too many reminders of this fight. But last month in Nairobi, as I stood amidst hundreds of brave people standing up for our rights, I felt hope I hadn’t experienced in awhile.
My name is Elizabeth Okumu, an AJWS program officer in Kenya. And from June 16-18, I joined one of the largest gatherings of people fighting for sexual health and rights in the world: the 5th annual Abortion and Reproductive Justice Conference in Nairobi, organized by several AJWS partner organizations. Nearly 1000 people from over 68 countries were there. Activists, community organizers, researchers, healthcare providers, funders, and advocates, all united with a shared purpose: to build a path to advance reproductive justice for all people.
While our languages, cultures, and political contexts differed, it was immediately clear to me that we face remarkably similar challenges: shuttered health clinics, minimized access to abortion or reproductive services, drastically increased stigma and the tightening grip of governments bent on controlling women’s autonomy.
This year’s conference theme was We Are the Revolution—and I felt that electric energy in my body the whole time. Hearing from and learning with these remarkable women—including many AJWS partners—reaffirmed my belief, and AJWS’s rallying cry, that communities most effected by injustice must lead the movements fighting for their rights.
AJWS partners led several important spaces during the conference, each highlighting different dimensions of reproductive justice and movement building.
At the Young Women Networking Booth, our adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) and sex worker partners showcased products developed through community-led economic empowerment initiatives—including mats, bags, coats, t-shirts, beautiful ornaments, and reusable sanitary towels made by young mothers and community groups as part of their economic empowerment projects. The booth was intended to shine a light on these initiatives, and of course to generate income for these communities. And the response exceeded everyone’s expectations!
But the most meaningful outcome was something we hadn’t anticipated. The booth evolved into a space for learning, exchange, and collaboration. Partners began sharing skills and knowledge about how the products were made. Conversations quickly evolved into practical lessons and discussions about community-led economic empowerment. Several organizations committed to future exchange visits to learn directly from one another and strengthen their initiatives.
In a funding environment where scarcity often drives isolation, it was inspiring to witness collaboration emerge so naturally. The experience demonstrated that movements become stronger when organizations view one another as partners rather than competitors.
AJWS hosted a session titled Realities, Risks and Reels: Reimagining and Centering Reproductive Justice Across Generations. Bringing together participants from different age groups, the session created a safe environment for sharing personal experiences of reproductive health access across generations.
The stories painted a fascinating picture of change over time. Older participants described navigating reproductive health information through traditional networks—passed down from generation to generation—while younger participants reflected on how access to the information online has revolutionized their understanding of their own bodies.
Older women from Turkana—one of Kenya’s most remote regions—still cannot access safe services and resort to unsafe abortion methods like bleach, cow dung, concentrated tea and herbs; this is what is accessible to them. But younger women reflected on how access to information online has revolutionized their understanding of their own bodies. When they have a question, they can access simply Google it. This divide stretched beyond age—access, these women noted, is shaped by class, geography, education, disability, and social status.
The session concluded with a call to document these intergenerational stories and advocate for policies that ensure access is equitable rather than determined by privilege. It was a reminder that progress cannot be measured only by innovation; it must also be measured by who is included and who remains left behind.
As I reflect on the conference now, I see it as far more than a convening. It was a celebration of resilience, a wake-up call for the movement, and a powerful demonstration of what is possible when people come together across borders and identities.
What do I want you to know? Simple: investing in reproductive justice means investing in people. The most transformative moments at this conference were not only the formal presentations but also the relationships built, the collaborations formed, and the solidarity strengthened. These are the foundations upon which lasting movements are built.
At a time when reproductive rights face increasing threats and funding spaces continue to shrink, support for grassroots organizations, young leaders, and movement-building spaces has never been more important. The solutions to many of the challenges we face already exist within communities. What is needed is sustained investment that enables those communities to organize, innovate, collaborate, and lead.
The 5th AJRC reminded me that while the challenges before us are significant, so, too, is the collective power of those committed to reproductive justice. The future of this movement lies in solidarity, in grassroots leadership, and in the courage of communities that continue to organize despite adversity. We are strongest when we move together. The revolution we seek is already being built by people on the ground every day.