UN Women condemns the brutal killing of 13-year-old Mary Treza in Homa Bay County in Kenya

UN Women condemns in the strongest possible terms the rape, murder, and mutilation of Mary Treza, a 13-year-old Grade Seven pupil in Suba North Constituency, Homa Bay County. This horrific crime is a stark reminder of the urgent crisis of femicide and violence against women and girls in Kenya.

No child should grow up in fear of being raped and killed. The killing of Mary Treza is a reminder of our collective failure as stakeholders in Kenya to protect the right to life and freedom from torture, as guaranteed by the Kenya’s 2010 Constitution and by the international human rights commitments to which Kenya is a party.

We call on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and all relevant authorities to conduct a swift and transparent investigation to ensure that the perpetrator and any accomplices are held fully accountable. Justice for Mary Treza must send a clear and powerful message: Kenya has zero-tolerance for, and will allow zero impunity, for the rape and murder of women and girls in Kenya. 

This tragedy is part of a broader and worsening crisis in the country. Police data show that 129 women were killed in femicide cases between January and March 2025 alone — a staggering figure that underscores the scale of this national emergency. Civil society data shows that at least 930 women were murdered in Kenya between 2016 and 2024, with 152 femicide cases recorded in 2023 alone—the highest on record. In nearly 8 out of 10 cases, the perpetrators were known to the victims. The true figures are higher due to under reporting. 

We must not be numbed into inaction by these statistics. Each number represents a woman or girl whose life was brutally taken because of her gender, and because society has normalized murder of women by blaming the victims and by not acting. This must galvanize all of us -government, civil society, communities, and individuals – to act urgently to condemn violence, strengthen protection mechanisms and demand an end to impunity. 

UN Women reaffirms its commitment to working with the Government of Kenya, civil society, development partners, and communities to end femicide and all forms of violence against women and girls. We must urgently invest in prevention, protection response and accountability systems. 

We stand in solidarity with Mary Treza’s family, her classmates, and the community. Her death must not be in vain; it must galvanize Kenya to build a safer, more equal society where every girl can live free from fear and violence.