Nairobi, May 13 -- The Court of Appeal judgment in Attorney General vs PAK has reignited anxiety, confusion and misinformation around abortion rights in Kenya. For many women and girls, the earlier High Court decision had offered hope by affirming that access to abortion under Article 26(4) of the Constitution is a protected right. The appeal now risks rolling back those gains and deepening fear among patients and healthcare providers.

At the centre of the judgment is the finding that life begins at conception. This raises unresolved constitutional questions: can a foetus hold rights independent of the pregnant person, and how should any such interests be balanced against the rights, dignity, health and autonomy of women and girls?

Unde...