Gender ministry seeks to develop a policy on Zero-tolerance to gender-based violence

Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki outside the Nairobi Women's Hospital September 2, 2017 where 51 students of Moi Girls Nairobi students were admitted following a dormitory fire. The CS has said her ministry is coming up with a plan to curb gender-based violence. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Four in every 10 women in Kenya have suffered one form of violence or another from a close partner, according to the CS.
  • The 2015 Gender Based Violence in Kenya report released by the National Crime Research Centre showed Mombasa, Machakos, Samburu, Kisii, Kilifi, Busia and Meru as the counties worst hit by gender violence, including rape, battery and beatings.

  • The victims were mostly women, and some brutalities resulted in deaths in Meru, Nakuru, Nyeri, Machakos, Kiambu, Busia, Samburu and Nairobi.

The Public Service and Gender Affairs ministry is working on a framework to help curb gender-based violence against women.

The ministry seeks to have a policy declaring a zero tolerance on gender-based violence.

Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki said the multi-sectorial initiative, mostly targeting the youth, will be rolled out in every region, making Kenya a contributor on gender matters globally.

In a statement on Sunday, Ms Kariuki said there is need to affirm a zero-tolerance policy on gender violence, despite the existence of a law criminalising it.

SUFFERED VIOLENCE

Four in every 10 women in Kenya have suffered one form of violence or another from a close partner, according to the CS.

“The longer-term view must ensure the country begins to defang the structural drivers of gender violence. The status of women’s health, their participation in the economy and their education levels must be priority in the development agenda,” she said.

Physical assault, rape, verbal abuse and domestic conflicts are ranked high in perceptions of forms of gender-based violence on women. Others are defilement, sexual assault and forced marriages.

Ms Kariuki stated that gender equality, non-discrimination and protection of women’s rights is embedded in the Constitution, which provides that women and men have the right to equal opportunities in political, social and cultural spheres.

“This includes a raft of legislation and policies which have been developed to safeguard women’s rights through the enactment of legal and policy instruments that offers protection to women and girls,” she said.

LAWS

Kenya has enacted various laws related to violence against women.

They include the Sexual Offences Act (2007), the Female Genital Mutilation Act (2011) and the National Policy towards Prevention and Response to SGBV (2014).

Other programmes have been established for facilitating enforcement of these laws. 

The 2015 Gender Based Violence in Kenya report released by the National Crime Research Centre showed Mombasa, Machakos, Samburu, Kisii, Kilifi, Busia and Meru as the counties worst hit by gender violence, including rape, battery and beatings.

The victims were mostly women, and some brutalities resulted in deaths in Meru, Nakuru, Nyeri, Machakos, Kiambu, Busia, Samburu and Nairobi.

Hitting, battery and beatings were the most prevalent forms of violence and mostly occurred in Mombasa, at 97.8 per cent.

Regarding rape, Kilifi was top, with 97.9 per cent, followed by Kisii (85.7), Machakos (71.4), Mombasa (66.7), Nairobi (64.9) and Nakuru (50.8).