Kaleidoscope: Reclaiming Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and Justice (SRHRJ) for All
organisations to advance sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice (SRHRJ), with a particular focus on safe and comprehensive abortion care (CAC). Launched on 4 April 2025 in Kathmandu, Nepal, this initiative brings together partners from four pilot countries- Nepal, Kenya, India, and Benin- to strengthen health systems and improve access to quality, stigma-free abortion services.
Kaleidoscope launch Event Highlights
The launch was co-hosted by the Family Welfare Division, Ministry of Health and Population, Government of Nepal, alongside representatives from the governments of Kenya and Benin, members of the Kaleidoscope Collective, and key health system stakeholders. Over 101 participants attended, including officials from government ministries, UN agencies, and civil society organisations.
The event provided a vital platform to:
- Strategise together with the transnational partners and stakeholder allies, including governments to advance access to quality, safe comprehensive abortion care in respective countries.
- Share knowledge and build alliances to promote SRHRJ and CAC.
- Informed government officials and donors about the initiative’s vision, mission, and programme approach.
- Explore how the initiative’s programme links to country-specific goals within the 2030 Agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Partners and Country Contexts
The Kaleidoscope Collective comprises:
- ARROW, WGNRR, MAMA Network, Global Fund for Women
- Country partners:
- India: CommonHealth, SAHAJ, RUWSEC
- Nepal: Visible Impact, Beyond Beijing Committee
- Benin: CNGOB, COJAS
- Kenya: KMET, SRHR Alliance, RHNK, TICAH, Zamara Foundation, Ads Nyanza
Country representatives shared insights on the current landscape of Comprehensive Abortion Care:
- Nepal: Dr. Gauri Pradhan Sreshtha, Family Welfare Division
- Benin: Dr. Edith Djenontin, Ministry of Health
- Kenya: Dr. Jean N Patrick, Ministry of Health
Panel Discussions: Key Themes and Calls to Action
Financing SRHR with Focus on Safe Abortion Services in Turbulent Times
Moderated by ARROW’s Sai Jyothirmai Racherla, this panel included experts from CoImpact, Women’s Fund India, Global Fund for Women, WGNRR, and TICAH. Panelists emphasized:
- The urgent need to rethink funding strategies amid shrinking resources.
- Adoption of an abundance mindset and trust-based partnerships.
- Prioritizing long-term, adaptable funding, including mobilizing domestic resources.
Dr. Gauri Pradhan Sreshtha, Chief – Maternal and Newborn Health Section, Family Welfare Division, Department of Health Services, Nepal shared a country landscape of CAC in Nepal. Dr Edith Djenontin, Head of Reproductive Health and Family Planning, Ministry of Health, Benin. Dr. Jean N Patrick, Senior Deputy Director of the Ministry of Health, Kenya shared the country contexts of CAC of Benin and Kenya respectively.
Local Action: Partnership for Health System Strengthening for Safe Abortion Services
Moderated by Medha Sharma (Visible Impact, Nepal), panelists from WHO Nepal, SAHAJ India, KMET Kenya, and CNGOB Benin discussed:
- Cross-border and cross-sectoral collaboration to build gender-sensitive, just, and equitable health systems.
- Integration of safe abortion services into broader health systems.
- The importance of government and civil society partnerships to ensure accessible, stigma-free, and sustainable CAC.
The Launch
The launch witnessed 101 participants from the Ministry of Health, Government of Nepal; UN Agencies, Civil Society Organisations participating and actively contributing. The event was chaired by Dr. Bibek Kumar Lal, Director – Family Welfare Division, Nepal and Dr. Tanka Prasad Barakoti, Director General – Department of Health Services (DoHS), Nepal served as the Chief Guest.
“At such turbulent times, we need Global partnerships and collaborations like Kaleidoscope to further the SRHR agenda especially in Global South countries like Nepal where a history of collaborations between Civil Society Organisations and the systems has resulted into a pathbreaking The Right to Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Act, 2018.”
– Dr. Bibek Kumar Lal, Family Welfare Division,Ministry of Health, Government of Nepal
ARROW’s Executive Director Sivananthi Thanenthiran shared an overview of the Kaleidoscope initiative highlighting the need for working on Comprehensive Abortion Care in the light of rising and stagnant Maternal Mortality Ratio.
Moving Forward: Implementation and Impact
Prior to the launch, a three-day planning meeting set the foundation for baseline activities across the four countries. The whole week was an opportunity to convene consortium and country partners from across the four pilot countries along with other civil society and women’s rights organisations focused on sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice (SRHRJ).
These activities will inform strategies focused on:
- Capacity strengthening
- Linking and learning
- Mobilising and influencing stakeholders
- Movement building over the next four years
The Kaleidoscope initiative aims to reduce maternal mortality and improve SRHRJ by fostering strong partnerships and sustainable health system reforms.
Join Us in Reclaiming SRHRJ for All
We invite you to support the Kaleidoscope initiative as we work towards ensuring sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice for all people across Nepal, Kenya, India, and Benin.
On behalf of Team Kaleidoscope:
ARROW, Global Fund for Women, MAMA Network, and WGNRR
