The growing number of women killed, children harmed, and families devastated by violence is forcing Kenya to confront a painful national reality. What was once viewed as isolated criminal incidents is increasingly being recognised as a broader crisis demanding urgent, coordinated and sustained action.
This concern dominated discussions during the Second Bi-Annual National Gender Sector Working Group Meeting, convened to deliberate on emerging national issues affecting women, children and other vulnerable populations.
The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including the Cabinet Secretary for Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage, Hon. Hanna Wendot Cheptumo, Principal Secretary for Gender Affairs and Affirmative Action Anne Wang’ombe, development partners, State agencies, civil society organisations, community leaders and other actors working to advance equality, protection and social justice.
At the centre of the deliberations was the alarming rise in femicide, gender-based violence, killings of children, and the growing normalisation of toxic and degrading public discourse directed at women in leadership and public life. Speaking during the meeting, National Gender and Equality Commission Chairperson Hon. Rehema Jaldesa warned that Kenya is facing a defining moment in its efforts to protect human dignity, equality and the rights of its citizens.
“We are confronting painful national realities that demand institutional honesty, collective responsibility and decisive action. Every woman killed, every child harmed and every survivor left without justice represents a failure that should concern us all as a nation,” she said.
Her remarks come amid growing public concern over violence against women and children across the country. In recent days, thousands of Kenyans, largely women, marched through Nairobi demanding stronger government action against femicide and child disappearances, with organisers calling for the crisis to be treated as a national emergency. Protesters highlighted rising fears among families and communities over the safety of women and children and called for stronger prevention, accountability and protection mechanisms.
The Commission noted that violence against women and children does not occur in isolation. It is frequently linked to unequal power relations, economic vulnerability, social exclusion, harmful cultural practices and environments where perpetrators believe they can act with impunity.
Equally concerning is the rise of hostile and degrading public discourse targeting women in leadership, politics and public life. Increasingly, women who participate in governance, advocacy and public debate are subjected to intimidation, harassment and abuse, both online and offline.
Experts have warned that technology-facilitated gender-based violence is becoming an emerging threat, with online spaces increasingly being used to spread harassment, misinformation, victim-blaming and attacks targeting women and girls. Reports have highlighted the growing need for stronger safeguards, digital ethics and accountability measures to address online abuse and prevent the normalisation of violence. Hon. Jaldesa stressed that public discourse matters because harmful rhetoric often creates environments where discrimination and violence become normalised.
“Words matter. Language that demeans, humiliates or dehumanises women does not exist in a vacuum. It contributes to a culture where violence is tolerated, excused or ignored. We must challenge harmful narratives wherever they occur."
The Chairperson reaffirmed that NGEC will continue to exercise its constitutional mandate by monitoring emerging threats to equality, calling out discriminatory rhetoric, advocating for accountability in cases involving violence against women and children and engaging relevant institutions whenever rights violations occur.
“Our responsibility is not only to respond when violations occur but to identify emerging threats, hold institutions accountable and advocate for corrective action before more lives are lost,” she said.
As discussions turned to solutions, stakeholders acknowledged that enforcement of existing laws alone will not be sufficient. While Kenya has established legal and policy frameworks aimed at preventing and responding to gender-based violence, implementation gaps continue to undermine progress. Stakeholders noted the need for stronger survivor support systems, faster investigations, improved prosecution of offenders, expanded psychosocial services and better coordination among institutions responsible for prevention and response.
The meeting also explored the growing role of technology in addressing violence. Recent government and county initiatives have demonstrated how digital platforms can strengthen reporting, documentation and management of gender-based violence cases while improving access to justice for survivors. Digital campaigns have also been deployed to raise awareness and promote behaviour change in communities affected by GBV and femicide. However, stakeholders emphasised that technology is only a tool. Sustainable change requires institutions, communities, families and citizens to work together.
The Commission stressed that ending violence against women and children cannot be left to government agencies alone. Religious leaders, parents, teachers, media practitioners, civil society organisations, community leaders and the private sector all have a role to play in building safer communities and challenging harmful norms. The discussions further highlighted the need to invest in prevention by addressing the root causes of violence. This includes promoting respectful relationships, supporting positive masculinity, empowering women and girls, strengthening child protection systems and ensuring that vulnerable populations have access to opportunities and services.
For NGEC, the worsening crisis also raises important questions about equality and national development. Violence against women and children undermines education, health, economic productivity, social cohesion and public trust in institutions. It weakens families, destabilises communities and hinders the country's ability to achieve inclusive and sustainable development.
“A nation cannot prosper while women live in fear and children remain unsafe. Protecting life, dignity and equality is not a sectoral issue; it is a national development imperative,” Hon. Jaldesa stated. The meeting renewed commitment from stakeholders to strengthen collaboration, enhance accountability and accelerate implementation of measures aimed at preventing violence and protecting vulnerable populations. Yet participants acknowledged that the true measure of success will not be found in policies, reports or declarations. It will be reflected in fewer families mourning loved ones, fewer children exposed to harm, more survivors receiving justice and communities where every individual can live free from fear.
The message emerging from the forum was unequivocal: Kenya cannot afford to normalise the killing of women, the abuse of children or the spread of hate and discrimination. The crisis demands collective responsibility, sustained action and unwavering commitment from every institution and every citizen. The call to action is clear: government institutions, county governments, law enforcement agencies, civil society organisations, faith-based groups, media, communities and citizens must work together to prevent violence, support survivors, hold perpetrators accountable and build a society founded on dignity, equality and respect for all.
