Residents: During a public participation gathering in Ol Kalou organized by the Presidential Technical Working Group on gender-based violence (GBV), have called for the establishment of a safe house for victims of GBV in Nyandarua County.
According to Kenya News Agency, Gloria Wawira, a member of the technical working group, said the residents also called for the government to allocate more funds for the fight against both femicide and GBV. Ipato Osuru, another participant, highlighted the rampant cases of teenage pregnancy, incest, battering, and some cases of femicide in the county.
Osuru, who is the chair of the Anti-FGM Board, cited female genital mutilation as another form of GBV prevalent in Nyandarua. She noted that the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Household Survey put the prevalence of FGM in Nyandarua at 6.9 percent of the total county population, indicating that many women and girls were still undergoing FGM.
Nyandarua County Commissioner Abdirisak Jaldesa stated that national government administrative officers have been instructed to prioritize anti-GBV and femicide efforts in their areas as a way of addressing the issue. Betty Muchina of the End Femicide Kenya movement emphasized that femicide should be recognized as a stand-alone criminal act, as it is not currently acknowledged in the Penal Code cap 63, leading to perpetrators being charged with either murder or manslaughter.
Muchina also called for the creation of safe houses equipped with counselors to provide support to GBV survivors. Ejidia Njeri from Mirangine Sub County supported this initiative and urged for police facilities to have gender desks staffed by compassionate officers.
Speaking on behalf of persons with disabilities (PWDs), Evaline Gathiru pointed out the marginalization faced by PWDs who become victims of GBV. She highlighted the lack of sign language interpreters in police stations and hospitals, which hinders assistance for deaf victims of gender violence.
Njoki Muiruri from the National Government Affirmative Action Fund office in Nyandarua advocated for revising various laws to strengthen the fight against GBV and femicide. She called for the revision of the Sexual Offences Act to include femicide and technology-facilitated gender-based violence, and the amendment of the Children Act, 2001 to enhance protection for child victims of gender violence. Muiruri also emphasized the need to fully operationalize the Protection Against Domestic Violence Act, 2015.
Additionally, Muiruri urged for enhanced support for GBV survivors through the operationalization of the Victim Protection and Legal Aid Fund to improve the provision of legal assistance and compensation.
