CONSULTATIVE MEETING AND PRESS BRIEFING ON FEMICIDE AND OTHER FORMS OF GBV

Ladies and gentlemen

On behalf of the NGEC, I join everyone else who have spoken before me, and share our solidarity, sympathies, empathy and condolences to family, friends and relatives of women and girls, young men and boys who have lost their lives, and those impaired in the past 11 months due to violence including abductions, torture and other exploitations based on gender motivations. We say pole and may justice be served sooner.

 

Ladies and gentlemen

The National Gender and Equality Commission joins the actors present in this meeting today and taking guidance from H.E The President, to vehemently denounce and call for an immediate stop of the inherently increasing number of incidences of GBV and femicide in our country. Indeed, it is so sad that women and girls, and in the recent past boys, have suffered harm, torture, and death strictly directed to them on the basis of their gender.

 

Ladies and gentlemen

We note with concern of the specific efforts made by perpetrators to harm and cause pain to women and girls.  This include use of disguised means such as technology facilitated violence though device tracking, phishing and scam, sextortion, image-based abuse, doxxing and cyberbullying. These cyber-based behavours are not well understood in Kenya yet they are emerging drivers of GBV. NGEC is pleased to note that the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics with support from key actors including NGEC, State Department for Gender and Affirmative Actions, and the UNWOMEN is committed to estimating prevalence and drivers of Technology Facilitated GBV through the Mini Kenya Demographic Health Survey 2025.

 

The Commission has since the beginning of this year (2024), pronounced itself on this matter 9 times with the first statement issued in January 2024 and much recently on October 24, 2024. But it is apparent that we must elevate our voice on this matter much more that ever before-perhaps every day. It is also clear that we must step-up our efforts to hold duty bearers accountable, and deliberately increase the protection of women and girls from GBV.

 

Ladies and gentlemen

Recently, our security agencies reported that 97 women and girls were killed in the past 3 months.  It is possible that there could be many cases of femicide that are concealed as normal deaths and therefore hardly reported as femicide. We also know there are still many incidences of GBV that go unreported or undetected. It is a fact that none of the women or girls are safe. Irrespective of residence, social class, or education level, GBV is happening. What is much important is that No case of violence is justified.

 

Ladies and gentlemen

The Commission observes that with school children commencing a long recess, festive seasons about to commence, celebrations associated with rites of passage being underway, coupled with hard economic situations, then perpetrators of GBV are likely to take advantage of the circumstances. They shall harm and cause pain when we least expect it.

 

It is for this reason that we call upon the parents, caregivers, youth and communities, and specifically men, to remain vigilant, protect and report any incidence observed. More importantly, the duty bearers including security apparatus, investigators, administrators, gender machineries, prosecution and justice system, the private actor among others must step-up their investment in eradicating femicide and GBV. To the media and human rights defenders, please don’t tire disapproving violence. To academia and statistical bodies, we urge you to continue your investment in GBV related research and data. We not only support the work of Coalition Against Sexual Violence (CASV) in Kenya but also encourage them to double their efforts in prevention and response to GBV during such a time when we are faced with increasing cases of femicide. This is because we must END GBV by 2030.

 

Ladies and gentlemen

On our part as NGEC, we are here today, to re-affirm our commitment to joining all forces possible established to eradicating GBV. We shall continue to promote and protect the rights of the most vulnerable and most-at-risk segment of our population. In conclusion, we commit to joining the country in the organization and delivery of the global 16 days of activism against Sexual and Gender Based Violence, International Human Rights Day, and other events including those aimed at reducing trauma, rehabilitation of the survivors, and de-normalization of GBV.

 

Thank you.

Commissioner Thomas O. Koyier, EBS-Ag. Chairperson, National Gender and Equality Commission