Plan to tackle gender-based violence and femicide finalized

The National Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Working Group has completed a memorandum on tackling GBV, including femicide in the country.

The memorandum is set to be presented to the newly established Technical Working Group recently gazetted by President William Ruto.

In addition, the group has outlined the necessary steps for Kenya to ratify the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (AU-CEVAWG).

This memorandum is set to influence policy and legal reforms aimed at strengthening the country’s response to gender-based violence, enhancing prevention strategies, and addressing femicide.

Key recommendations include better coordination of GBV prevention and response efforts, legal and policy reforms, survivor-centred justice mechanisms, and increased funding to support these initiatives.

Development partners and civil society organizations are being urged to step up efforts in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment.

“The alarming rise in gender-based violence, particularly the increasing cases of killings of women and girls, calls for a comprehensive, society-wide approach to ensure their safety, justice, and protection," said Mary Wanjiru, Team Lead for Ending Violence Against Women and Girls at UN Women Kenya.

"The recommendations submitted to the Technical Working Group will help drive momentum in assessing, reviewing, and proposing measures to enhance policy responses to GBV and femicide.”

In 2024 Kenya's GBV and femicide numbers raised concern leading to deliberate efforts aimed at mitigating the twin vices.

Africa Uncensored, an investigative journalism media house, estimates that 500 women were killed between 2017 and 2024.

Kenya’s law enforcement agencies recorded 97 cases of femicide between September and November 2024.

Globally, UN Women reported that in 2023 alone, one woman was killed every 10 minutes in intimate partner and family-related murders.