Interest groups can greatly help in President’s directive on girls

sharon
sharon

What you need to know:

  • Indeed, without the political will, this criminality cannot be decisively dealt with.
  • For months, women’s and human rights advocates had called for action.
  • But with the firm and clear presidential directive, there is hope of action, including remedial and preventive.

Jolted into action by the spike in sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) cases, mainly against women and girls, President Uhuru Kenyatta on July 6 directed immediate action to deal with the situation that continues to unfold by the day.

In his ninth address to the nation on Covid-19 in the country, he rightly stated that the girl has been disempowered and the trend is “worrying”.

This means, finally, there is political will to deal with the ‘shadow pandemic’ of SGBV that has since March exposed the very ugly side of our society.

Indeed, without the political will, this criminality, which became more pronounced with the lockdown and other Covid-19-instigated containment measures by the government, cannot be decisively dealt with.

CALLED FOR ACTION

For months, women’s and human rights advocates had called for action, like constant messaging by the government as part of its Covid-19 course of action, to create awareness on SGBV. But the voices seemed to fall on deaf ears.

But with the firm and clear presidential directive to the National Crime Research Centre (NCRC) to investigate the rising gender violence, violations of the rights of children, specifically the disempowerment of girls, there is hope of action, including remedial and preventive.

Importantly, the girls and women whose dignity and rights have been violated will get justice as the perpetrators and their attackers on the loose are apprehended, if the President’s directive is implemented.

Every other day, the media reports cases, some very shocking and disturbing, of extreme sexual and physical violence against women and girls in particular and children in general. The few that make the headlines are just the tip of the iceberg.

This means the NCRC, which was given 30 days from July 6 to do their investigations and report back to the President, have their work cut out for them.

PREPARE ADVISORY

The centre was directed to investigate the escalating cases of SGBV, tendency to disempower girls and violations of children’s rights. It should prepare an advisory to security agencies on the remedial action, which will resulting in “immediate’’ prosecution of “all” violators and perpetrators.

I have no idea how the NCRC will go about its work, particulary for unreported cases. My concern is violations on children and women at home.

The President, too, pointed out that the home, naturally the safest space for all, is no longer that. Close family members have turned tormentors of the children, violating them sexually behind the walls of their homes.

Incest is one of the crimes that has been guarded within families as they seek to “safeguard and protect the name and standing in society”. So, how will the NCRC catch these perpetrators of incest?

ROAM FREE

While chiefs were directed to find and report such criminals, it will need extra hard work to catch them as they perpetrate their crime in hiding at home but project the innocence of angels in public.

Some of these are known to be “pious” religious and opinion leaders but, because of their double lives of deception, they roam free, ruining the lives of girls.

Let the centre reach out to interest groups, including individuals and organisations who run shelters and safe houses for girls rescued from perpetrators of sexual and other forms of violence. Visit the shelters and you will come out with some leads.

Seek the views of women’s and children’s rights organisations, especially those with a firm presence at the grassroots and informal settlements, to apprehend, particularly, those who subject girls to the female genital cut, (FGC) and frustrating the country’s target to eradicate the retrogressive practice by 2022, and other abuses.

The views and voices of the youth and adolescents are key, especially on the crisis that is teenage pregnancy. And while at, do not spare those who collude with the perpetrators.


Ms Rugene is consulting editor and founder, The Woman’s Newsroom Foundation. [email protected] @nrugene