RESPEKT ("we", "our", "us") is committed to protecting the privacy of everyone who interacts with our programs, website, and services — especially the young people we serve. This policy explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, how we handle it, and the rights you have over it.
1. Who We Are
RESPEKT (Reproductive and Sexual Health Programme for Kenyan Teenagers) is a youth-led initiative run by medical students in Kenya in partnership with the International Medical Cooperation Committee (IMCC).
For the purposes of data protection law, RESPEKT is the data controller for personal data collected through this website and our programs.
2. Data We Collect
We only collect what we need to fulfil our mission. Depending on how you interact with us, this may include:
2.1 Information you give us directly
- Contact form: your name, email address, subject, and message.
- Volunteer application: your name, email address, and motivation statement.
- Event registration: name, email, and (where relevant) school or organization.
- Partnership enquiries: name, organization, email, and message.
2.2 Information collected automatically
- IP address (anonymized where possible), browser type, device type, and operating system.
- Pages visited, time spent, and referring URL — used only for aggregate traffic analysis.
- Cookie identifiers (see Section 4).
2.3 Information from program participants
During school workshops, we may collect anonymous, aggregated data on SRHR knowledge levels for research and impact reporting. We do not collect names, ID numbers, or identifying details from teenage participants.
3. How We Use Your Data
We process your personal data for the following purposes and legal bases:
| Purpose | Legal Basis |
|---|---|
| Responding to your enquiries | Legitimate interest / Consent |
| Processing volunteer applications | Consent |
| Sending event and program updates | Consent |
| Improving our website and programs | Legitimate interest |
| Producing anonymized impact research | Legitimate interest / Public interest |
| Complying with legal obligations | Legal obligation |
We will never sell, rent, or trade your personal data to third parties.
6. Sensitive Data & Special Care
Because RESPEKT works on sexual and reproductive health, we understand that some interactions may involve sensitive personal information. We handle all such data with additional care:
- We do not ask for details about your sexual history, health status, or identity unless strictly necessary and with your explicit consent.
- Any information shared during workshops remains confidential and is never attributed to an individual.
- If you disclose information suggesting risk of harm (to yourself or others), we may have a legal and ethical duty to refer you to appropriate support services.
7. How Long We Keep Your Data
| Data Type | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Contact form messages | 24 months |
| Volunteer applications | Duration of active volunteering + 24 months |
| Event registrations | 12 months after event |
| Analytics data | 14 months (aggregated) |
| Research data | Anonymized — indefinite |
8. Your Rights
Under the Kenya Data Protection Act (2019) and, where applicable, the EU GDPR, you have the right to:
Access
Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Rectification
Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Erasure
Request deletion of your data ("right to be forgotten").
Restriction
Ask us to limit how we use your data.
Portability
Receive your data in a machine-readable format.
Objection
Object to processing based on legitimate interest.
Withdraw Consent
Withdraw consent at any time where consent is the legal basis.
Complain
Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) Kenya.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at pct@respect.or.ke. We will respond within 30 days.
9. How We Protect Your Data
We take security seriously and implement the following measures:
- Encryption in transit: All traffic to and from this website uses HTTPS (TLS).
- Secure code: Prepared statements, output escaping, and CSRF protection in every form.
- Access control: Only authorized team members can access personal data, on a need-to-know basis.
- Rate limiting: Contact and volunteer forms are protected against abuse.
- Regular review: We periodically audit our systems and update our practices.
No system is 100% secure. If we ever become aware of a data breach affecting your rights, we will notify you and the relevant authorities promptly.
10. Protection of Minors
Many of the young people we serve are under 18. We take their privacy especially seriously:
- We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 16 through this website.
- School workshop participation is coordinated through school authorities with appropriate consent.
- Any data collected during workshops is anonymized before being used for research or reporting.
- If you believe a minor has provided us with personal data without consent, contact us and we will delete it.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will always reflect the most recent revision. Material changes will be announced on our homepage.
12. Contact Us
For any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this policy or your personal data, please contact our Data Protection contact:
RESPEKT — Data Protection Contact
- pct@respect.or.ke
- +254726000527
- Mon - Fri: 10:00 - 22:00
- respect.or.ke
Supervisory Authority (Kenya):
Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC)
www.odpc.go.ke