Kenya’s National Gender-based Violence Working Group outlines strategic reforms to end violence against women and girls

As Kenya continues to confront rising cases of gender-based violence (GBV), including alarming rates of femicide, the National Gender-based Violence Working Group stepped up its efforts to drive national action. Coordinated by the National Gender and Equality Commission, this multi-stakeholder platform brings together government institutions, civil society organizations, and development partners to strengthen the country’s collective response to Gender-Based Violence.

On 18th March,  the Working Group convened and finalized a comprehensive Memorandum to be submitted to the newly gazetted Technical Working Group on Gender-Based Violence, a high-level body established by President H.E. Dr. William Ruto. The Memorandum outlines policy and legal recommendations aimed at enhancing the prevention and response to GBV, with a focus on ending femicide and securing justice for survivors. The Working Group also provided the next steps for advocating and ratifying the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (AU-CEVAWG).

The Memorandum will shape Kenya’s policy and legal frameworks for prevention, response and curbing gender-based violence including femicide.

The recommendations by the Working Group include stronger coordination of gender-based violence prevention and response; legal reforms and policy implementation; survivor-centred responses to ensure justice and protection for all; and increased resource allocation.

“Every woman and girl deserve to live free from fear. These recommendations represent our collective promise to make Kenya safer for every daughter, sister, and mother,” said Faith Achieng (name changed), a GBV survivor and advocate from Nairobi.

“The recommendations by the National Gender-based Violence Working Group include stronger coordination of gender-based violence prevention and response; legal reforms and policy implementation; survivor-centred responses to ensure justice and protection for all; and increased resource allocation” said Ms. Alberta Wambua, Co-Chairperson, National Gender-based Violence Working Group.

“The rising cases of gender-based violence in the country, with increased cases of the killings of women and girls require strong whole-of-society approaches to safeguard their safety, justice, and protection. The recommendations to the Technical Working Group on Gender-Based Violence including Femicide will create a momentum for assessing, reviewing, and recommending measures to strengthen the institutional, legal, and policy response to GBV and femicide in the country,” said Ms. Mary Wanjiru, Team Lead, Ending Violence against Women and Girls (EVAWG), UN Women Kenya.

The Technical Working Group on Gender-Based Violence including Femicide serves as a critical platform for fostering collaboration among government, development partners, and the civil society organisations to accelerate gender equality and women's empowerment in Kenya.