The Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK) in partnership with urgent Action Fund – Africa, Coalition on Violence Against Women have raised alarm over increasing cases of delay and denial of justice for Gender Based Violence (GBV).
Speaking to The Informer, AMWIK Executive Director Judy Kaberia noted that civic education has already began to train women on the importance of reporting GBV cases.
“Our biggest challenge is reaching a wide range of people, we are currently using social media and sending out people to address small groups,” she said.
Kaberia pointed out that the organization is in formation stage with various stakeholders including the Government, Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Director of Public Prosecutions and judiciary to help victims of GBV get justice.
“We are asking the relevant offices to kindly look at the issue of GBV comprehensively and hasten the process of justice to victims,” she said.
Wairimu Munyinyi, Executive Director of the Coalition on Violence Against Women (COVAW) lamented that despite existence of regulations, victims of GBV barely get justice during electioneering season.
She asked political parties to show leadership by barring politicians who use their conduct and political language to perpetuate violence against women.
“This time round we are calling for responsibility from the government, from political parties because they have a duty of care for the electorate who take the civil duty to vote for them. As civilians we also have a duty to say no to leaders who perpetuate a culture of violence,” she said.
With the August general election coming up, organisation have warned of possible sexual violence against female candidates.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) in collaboration with the International Federation of Human Rights, has released a new report urging the government to prevent such violence.
“The committee of investigation into the violence reported over 900 cases of sexual gender-based violence after the 2007-2008 post-election violence,” the study stated.
According to recent global estimates, roughly one in every three women aged 15 and above has been subjected to physical or sexual abuse by an intimate partner or both at least once in their lives; nonetheless, GBV instances rose during the COVID-19 epidemic.
A multi-country rapid gender assessment undertaken by the UN Women in Kenya and the Government of Kenya on the impact of COVID-19 confirmed that cases of GBV increased as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
