Tusemezane Magazine, Volume 7

issue: no 7

A MONTHLY MAGAZINE BY PEACE INITIATIVE KENYA (PIK) PROJECT

Celebrating trailblazers in peace building Page 3

PADV Bill a key success for PIK

Page 10

Child abuse in Kwale and Kilifi triggers action from PIK Page 11

Counting to Zero GBV Cases Those who have broken the barriers must work with communities to promote women rights.

Photo Tusemezane Correspondent

PROMOTING A SOCIETY FREE OF GENDER VIOLENCE

About Peace Initiative Kenya

P

eace Initiative Kenya (PIK) is a three-year USAID funded project working towards the prevention of and response to gender based violence (GBV) in Kenya. The project aims at supporting prevention of Gender Based Violence and improving the current GBV response framework at the national and county levels.

Project Objectives: •

Strengthen county engagement in preventing and responding to GBV

•

Increase access and utilization of GBV services through community outreach and other awareness raising efforts

The PIK project is implemented by the International Rescue Committee (IRC), together with local partners; Coalition on Violence against Women (COVAW), Rural Women’s Peace Link (RWPL), Sauti Ya Wanawake – Pwani, Health Care Assistance Kenya (HAK) through GBV hotline 1195 and African Woman and Child Feature Service (AWC).

The project covers nine counties: Taita Taveta, Kwale, Mombasa, Kisumu, Migori, Kisii, Uasin Gishu, Nandi and Trans Nzoia to improve GBV prevention, as well as increase access and utilization of GBV services through community outreach and other awareness raising efforts.

At the national level, the PIK project works closely with the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC), Ministry of Devolution and Planning, specifically the Directorate of Gender, Anti-Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Board and other stakeholders to support the Government in creating an enabling environment for coordination of GBV prevention and service provision.

Project Goal: To improve national and county-level gender-based violence (GBV) service delivery systems and policy implementation.

Editorial Team

•

International Rescue Committee Regent Court, along Argwings Kodhek Road Contact the Chief of Party Phone: +254 726082140

Page 3 Celebrating trailblazers in peace building Page 5 Training brings a ray of hope to `GBV survivors Page 8 PADV Bill key to success for PIK Page 9

Email: PIK@rescue.org Facebook: GBV Service Providers Africa Woman and Child Feature Service Nairobi Baptist Church Court, Green Lane, off Ngong Road Nairobi Phone: +254 20 2720554, +254 722 209510 Email: info@awcfs.org Website: www.awcfs.org Twitter: @AWCFS

Hon Zipporah Kering leads from the front in war against GBV Page 12 Child abuse in Kwale and Kilifi triggers action from PIK

Facebook: African Woman & Child

IRC Team

Managing Editor:

CONTRIBUTORS

DESIGN & printing:

Jebiwot Sumbeiywo

Jane Godia

Kennedy Kibet

Vieve Omnimedia

Joyce Muchena

Henry Kahara

Paul Otieno

Programme Manager:

Edward Nyaanga

Valine Moraa

Ruth Omukhango

Benson Mwanga

AWC Team

SUB EDITOR:

Bekadzo Tondo

Executive Director:

Joyce Chimbi

Renson Shamalla

Henry Owino

Arthur Okwemba

This production is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

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Contact Information

Contents

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INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE

AFRICAN WOMAN AND CHILD FEATURE

PROMOTING A SOCIETY FREE OF GENDER VIOLENCE

Celebrating trailblazers in peace building

BY KENNEDY KIBET

R

arely do we celebrate women who are making a difference in changing people’s lives.

But during this year’s International Women’s Day, Tusemezane was on the lookout for women who have ‘made it happen’, in keeping with this year’s theme.

Some have gone against the grain, daring to leave a mark in fields that were only reserved for men. Others have become peace champions of reckon and many communities owe their peaceful co-existence, to the contribution they have made. One of these women is Seline Korir.

Peace building

Many years back, Korir helped establish Rural Women Peace Link to contribute to peace building and conflict mitigation.

“As a young girl, I always wanted to make a difference. I never believed that there was any disagreement so major that people could not resolve,” she says.

Due to her diligence, the Rural Women Peace Link (RWPL) has made a name for itself as a peace championing institution, and wherever Korir goes, she is still identified as a peace champion of reckon.

She says that after many years of traversing the expansive Rift Valley region, an area that is still trying to find a common ground among the various ethnic groups that live here, “the organization’s work in peace building has never been more glaring.”

The most defining moment was when the organization found a strong partner in the International Rescue Committee through a project dubbed the Peace Initiative Kenya (PIK). With this support, this rural network has established peace platforms in four Counties, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Nandi and Bungoma (Mt. Elgon). Her efforts and that of RWPL have seen what would have been major conflicts fizzle out due to their

intervention.

For instance, when warring communities in West Pokot, Mt Elgon and Uasin Gishu were on the verge of unleashing terror at each other, she stood her ground in ensuring that amicable solutions were arrived at.

Her relentless determination in ensuring that peace has been restored among communities is a milestone she has achieved beyond her wildest imagination.

Passion

Although she has registered these successes, her childhood dream was to be a nun “because of their passion to protect the vulnerable,” she says.

But she later developed dreams of wanting to be a radio personality since it was the only way she was going to influence millions of lives.

“This only changed after witnessing a man battering his wife, who was later found dead in unexplained circumstance.

The urge of wanting to become a lawyer to defend the meek developed in me,” she says.

But as fate would have it, she ended up doing economics for her Bachelor’s degree.

She holds a masters degree in Economics from Shivaji University in India.

Still, her burning desire was to play a greater role in advancing peace and security in her community and beyond.There are many examples to prove this. Korir has stood up against the fierce former West Pokot Member of Parliament, Francis Lotodo, who was accorded a king’s status by his people.

“At that time the Pokot and the Marakwet were embroiled in a bitter feud over land and cattle rustling. Many lives were lost,” she says.

Korir says that her most satisfying moment was when she witnessed former enemies in this conflict shake hands in reconciliation. Venturing into Lotodo’s turf to preach peace was something that nobody dared to do for fear of

Seline Korir has been very vocal about bringing together warring communities in Kenya. She has stood against tribal kingpins and even community leaders who campaigned for blood shed. photo: courtesy of mkenyaujerumani.de

repercussions. This success emboldened her even more.

‘’I remember one episode vividly when I confronted him[Lotodo] and told him to his face that they were as bad as their perceived enemies since they were encouraging their people to fight each other.’’

In her line of duty, Korir has stared death in the face more times than she can recall.

She has also comforted families who have lost loved ones in ethnic clashes. Such stories have emboldened her to soldiers on, in her quest of fostering peace.

In 2005, following what begun like land dispute and escalated under the influence of political forces, Korir once again found herself intervening by initiating mechanism that brought together stakeholders to address the crisis. The number of women and children displaced was massive.

The Birth of RWPL

In December 2008, she managed to register over 600 women who had lost their husbands in the conflict under the umbrella of Rural Women Peace Link (RWPL). It was registered as a network of grass root women’s organisation working for peace in western Kenya region.

The Rural Women Peace Link would create an avenue for other partners to spread their tentacles and call for a nonviolent approach to conflict.

“We listened to the women’s stories of torture and documented all cases of

rape,” she says.

“We also interacted with the child headed families. We supported widowers whose wives had been killed too,” she says.

When the conflict broke out in Mt Elgon, the government then had declared it a closed zone, prohibiting any organisation from entering the district.

It was against this backdrop that “I organised a group dubbed ‘The Multi sectoral forum of security of women and children in Mt Elgon’ which brought together all service providers from Mt Elgon and the neighbouring districts,” she says.

Coverage

“All the actors from the ministry of Health to relief providers, committed themselves to the plan of remedying the tragic situation. I personally transported media professionals to cover the situation of women and children there, and for the first time, stories about Mt Elgon ran across all major media out for a full month,’’ she explained.

Before this establishment, Korir had also played a significant role in addressing the 2007 post election violence and attending to the displaced communities, especially women and children.

She made it her mission to reduce the suffering by gathering phone cards so that those displaced could call loved ones. Her efforts included, rallying local leaders to tend to the killed, wounded and homeless. As well as organizing help for abused women. | Tusemezane issue 7

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PROMOTING A SOCIETY FREE OF GENDER VIOLENCE

PIK joins government, CSOs to reverse GBV in the country

O

ne of the major campaigns launched recently by the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) is the one dubbed ‘Keeping the Promise End Gender Based Violence.’

This campaign runs for three years. In 2015, it is dialoguing and working closely with duty bearers and stakeholders on their crucial role in the fight against gender based violence. In 2016, it will address the issues of survivors and help them to come out and talk about their experiences. In 2017 the focus will be on community advocacy from a survivor approach and ways women can defend themselves.

Objectives

The objectives of the campaign include: Strengthening the accountability of state and non-state actors and reinforcing legislation and the various policies that are designed to address this vice.

The Peace Initiative Kenya, a project of the USAID and International Rescue Committee, is one of the partners that

offered support to this launch and continues to work with NGEC to achieve the broader goal of ending gender based violence (GBV) in the country.

Meanwhile, on 26th March 2015, PIK joined scores of Kenyan women and Civil Society Organizations in a demonstration in Nairobi, over recent reported cases of sexual violence and assault , one of them which was allegedly perpetrated by Imenti Central MP Gideon Mwiti. The Initiative was in the forefront urging the relevant bodies to get to the bottom of the rape allegations. This demonstration came on the heels of the International Women’s Day.

Each year International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8.The first International Women’s Day was held in 1911.Thousands of events occur to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women. Organizations, governments, charities, educational institutions, women’s groups, corporations and the media celebrate the day.

US Deputy Chief of Mission to Kenya Isiah Parnell addressing participants during launch of Keeping the promise end GBV campaign. Photo Courtesy IRC-PIK

1195 come to the rescue of violated women

By Henry Owino

directed to them,” Lisiagali explains.

Every case is handled, confidentially, privately and secretly without a third party getting to know. She further asked survivors to report rape/defilement cases immediately to the nearest police post or area chief, get medical checkup to avoid washing away the evidence.

O

ne thing worrying society when it comes to gender based violence (GBV) is the information and knowledge gap between populations in rural areas and those in the urban settings. It is a scenario that is now having negative effects on the number and the rate at which the survivors of violence in rural areas are seeking justice.

Fanis Lisiagali, Executive Director, Healthcare Assistance Kenya (HAK), a Peace Initiative Kenya implementing partner says that GBV cases are significantly higher in poor settings. Since those violated, especially women, have very little information on how and where to seek justice. This makes perpetrators of violence to continue doing so with impunity.

Free helpline

Lisiagali says that HAK has been on the forefront in advancing the rights of women who have been violated by their partners, relatives and other members of the society. She admits the journey has not been smooth as there are so many

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“In case of fear or any form of intimidation by police, please call the toll free helpline 1195 wherever you are and we shall assist you by all means.

Remember we coordinate and facilitate survivors’ fast access to various places and homes,” Lisiagali emphasizes.

A Toll Free Helpline that has revolutionalised GBV responses.

PHOTO: george ngesa

challenges: financial constraints, lack of commitment by police, cases taking inordinately long in court, survivors being blackmailed not to testify against the perpetrators, witness declining to testify, and perpetrators meddling with evidence.

HAK is Gender Based Violence Rapid Response Call Centre, which is operating a free helpline 1195 through

which tele-counseling services to survivors are offered.

“Our offices are open to everybody and the free helpline 1195 operates 24 hours, 7 days a week assisting men, women, boys and girls whose rights are infringed into. It could be rape, defilement, sodomy, FGM, physical assault, sexual harassment, psychological torture, child labour or trafficking, or any other forms of GBV

She says the organization’s main goal is to ensure survivors get justice and perpetrators are punished for their actions.

Appeal

HAK has appealed to the media to help increase awareness of helpline1195 that is even recognized by the police. Amina Ibrahim from Baringo County said there are so many cases of GBV in the County and urged HAK 1195 to open a branch in Baringo to help GBV survivors access service.

PROMOTING A SOCIETY FREE OF GENDER VIOLENCE

Eastlands parts of Nairobi, where majority of the poor people live. They were first taken through trainings by professionals in the various fields to ensure they know how to print T-shirts and make basket from waste polythene bags, among many other things.

Besides the baskets, the women have also been taught the procedure and skills on how to make yoghurt, washing bleach, liquid and bar soap.

On graduation, members of the women’ groups are expected to register their products to enable them engage in organized business.

“Once they graduate the women will receive loans to start small businesses from a bank,”the AWEP Chief Executive Officer, Nancy Gitonga says in an interview after addressing the women.

Defend Nancy Gitonga of AWEP, during a mentor’s workshop at Afralti conference centre in Nairobi Picture: george ngesa

Training brings a ray of hope to GBV survivors

By Edward Nyaanga

W

hen 30 women survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence were told that their lives would turnaround after the heartrending experience they went through, many could not believe their ears.

They had given up making a difference

in life, until they were taken through basketry waving, mat making, screen printing, soap and yoghurt making. All this renewed their hope in life.They can now picture themselves being self reliant and rebuilding their lives once again.

Thanks to the African Women`s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) an organization that empowers women economically. As a way of ensuring that

they continue leading productive lives, AWEP with support from USAID and International Rescue Committee (IRC)’s Peace Initiative Kenya Project, organized training sessions to impart business and life skills to the women.

Beneficiaries

The first lot of women to benefit from these AWEP trainings were those from

Gitonga urges the society to rise and defend women from all forms of abuse and provide them with means to rebuild their lives.

“Time has come for all in our society to treat women with dignity to ensure they participate in all spheres of development and that women should not only be involved in household chores but should also participate in policy development and leadership,” she notes.

The survivors who benefited from this training will become ambassadors to enlighten other women in all counties to speak out against the vice and pick up the pieces after the violence.

“Personally I envision a society where there will be no abuse to any one, a society where a person will be evaluated on merit irrespective of their gender. A society where men and women will be treated equally,” Gitonga says.

Fact File: What the statistics are saying about GBV Some Facts and Figures about gender based violence in Kenya • 49 percent of women aged 15-49 have experience physical violence.

• 38 percent of ever-married women age 15-49 have ever experienced physical violence committed by their husband/ partner.

• Nine percent of ever-married men aged 15-49 have ever experienced physical violence committed by their wife/partner.

• About 14 percent of women and 4 percent of men have ever experienced sexual violence committed by a spouse/ partner.

• Divorced, separated, and widowed

women and men are more likely to report having experienced physical or sexual violence than their currently married counterparts.

• Women in Western, Nyanza, and Nairobi regions reported higher levels of physical and sexual violence committed by a spouse/partner than women in other regions.

• 50% of women report having experienced violence at one point in their life, with children aged below11years making up the largest group of rape survivors

re-victimization and/or may become perpetrators of violence later

institutionalized in certain Kenyan communities and cultures.

• The My Actions Count Report, 2014 revealed that GBV cases are on the rise across the nine counties that were studied.

• Legislation around sexual and gender based violence: The Constitution of Kenya; Sexual Offences Act, Employment Act; The Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Act;

• Types of GBV cases that have been considered unnatural and unacceptable in African culture, such as incest, sodomy and child defilement are reportedly on the rise.

• 64% of GBV cases occur within the homes of survivor

• There is an absence of support for survivors of GBV, as the chain of support right from reporting to the police, through to healthcare and the judicial process is slow, ineffective or hardly in place.

• GBV related trauma contributes to the cycle of violence as victims may suffer

• Various forms of GBV are accommodated, justified and even

Source: • Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, 2014 • Status of GBV in Kenya Report, 2013

by International Rescue Committee (IRC) • My Action Counts, 2014, by Peace Initiative Kenya, a project of the International Rescue Committee

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PROMOTING A SOCIETY FREE OF GENDER VIOLENCE

PIK Making it happen for women while marking International Womens Day 2015

The procession arriving at the venue of the IWD 2015 at the Sub-County Headquarters in Kachibora Trans Nzoia County.

Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho inspecting on women IGAs during IWD in Mombasa County.

Photo

A dancer engages the Trans Nzoia Women’s Rep Hon Janet Nangabo to a dance during the IWD 2015 event in Trans Nzoia County.

Mombasa Women Rep Mishi Mboko inspecting Kisauni sub county Womens Agenda during IWD.

Women groups march towards the venue of the IWD 2015 at the Sub-County Headquarters in Kachibora Trans Nzoia County.

Women groups ready themselves to march towards the venue of the IWD 2015 at the Sub-County Headquarters in Kachibora Trans Nzoia County.

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Trans Nzoia East Deputy Assistant County Commissioner officially launching the IWD 2015 procession at Kachibora Centre.

A popular band performs during the IWD 2015 celebrations at Kachibora in Trans Nzoia County.

PROMOTING A SOCIETY FREE OF GENDER VIOLENCE

PIK in action,speaking out against Gender Based Violence!

hoto

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PROMOTING A SOCIETY FREE OF GENDER VIOLENCE

PADV Bill a key success fo

By Joyce Chimbi

I

f there is one legal triumph that Peace Initiative Kenya (PIK) Project can claim it contributed to its realization, then it is the Protection Against Domestic Violence (PADV) Bill 2013 which was recently passed by the National Assembly.

Through its implementing partner, the Women Empowerment Link (WEL), PIK together with other likeminded organizations were able to organize and mobilize progressive forces in and outside the national assembly to push for the passage of the Bill.

This Bill is a milestone because it addresses key GBV issues that have bedevilled the country for many years.

They are the issues that the PIK project has been addressing since its inception in mid 2012.

The Bill, under Section 3, explicitly confronts various forms of harmful and retrogressive cultural practices such as “virginity testing”which has been defined in Section 3 (a) as “the practice and process or examination of a female’s genitals for tears of the hymen”.

Addressing culture

Other forms of culture that the Bill address includes child marriage, female genital mutilation, forced marriage, widow cleansing and forced wife inheritance.

In-laws have also not been spared with the Bill stating clearly that “interference from in-laws” is indeed a form of domestic violence. This Bill also criminalizes sexual violence within marriage.

Participants of a peaceful procession in support of Kenya’s Protection Against Domestic Violence Bill.

Photo Courtesy IRC-PIK Photo Courtesy IRC-PIK.

Once enacted, the new law will provide for the protection and relief of survivors of domestic violence and the protection of a spouse and any children or other dependent persons.

Equally important in the Bill is the acknowledgement of the various forms of domestic violence that are often difficult to prove, creating loopholes for perpetrators to walk away scot free while the survivors suffer in silence.

Under Section 2, the Bill explicitly defines emotional, verbal or psychological abuse as “a pattern of degrading or

humiliating conduct” towards another person but is not limited to the repeated insults, ridicule or name-calling, including repeated threats to cause emotional pain.

Evidence

This definition is key. Often, survivors of domestic violence find it difficult to record statements where there is no actual physical evidence of assault.Thus the Bill’s effort to broadly define what constitutes violence outside of the physical and sexual assaults is very progressive.

For instance, in Section 2, the

term “harassment” has been accorded significant prominence as a form of abuse.

It defines harassment as engaging in a pattern of conduct that induces “the fear of imminent harm”.

This includes watching or loitering outside or near the building or place where the applicant (or intended survivor) resides, works, carries on business, studies or happens to be.

The Bill additionally states that repeated contact or attempts to contact the applicant “by telephone, electronic means, post or otherwise, whether or

Breaking the culture of silence around GBV

By Henry Owino

W

hen Peace Initiative Kenya was established, one of the key objectives was to get issues that were considered private into the public domain. In this space, it was going to be easy to address the many abuses that are happening behind the closed doors.

One of these issues is the gender based violence. The Coalition on Violence Against Women (COVAW), which received funding from

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International Rescue Committee through Peace Initiative Kenya (PIK) project, is one of the organizations that is involved in encouraging communities and survivors of gender based violence to speak out.

Declined

Speaking to Tusemezane during this year’s International Women’s Day, COVAW explained that although sexual violence cases appear to have declined in most parts of the country, the same cannot be said of urban areas where the incidences have become even more prevalent.

In spite of the myriad of diseases such as HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases that put victims of rape at greater risk, the culture of silence is still prevalent, with most cases going unreported. Worse still, the perpetrators remain at large lurking in the dark for the next victim. “.....It is a high time that society broke the culture of silence in order for us to win this fight against gender based violence (GBV).” says COVAW. “.... speaking out will create avenues to find sustainable solutions.

A community that abhors GBV cannot also be seen to remain silent in the face of it.This way the fight against GBV will be won.”

This opening up has helped a lot especially the survivors of the violence.

“We have been taught by COVAW that in case of sexual abuse, one should not take a shower or change clothes,” says a beneficiary of the facility.

“When I was raped, I went to the hospital then reported to the police station.This way, I had all the evidence and my case is in court,” she says.

PROMOTING A SOCIETY FREE OF GENDER VIOLENCE

or PIK not a conversation ensues; and sending, delivering or offensive or abusive objects to the applicant” constitutes harassment.

In section 2 of the Bill, intimidation has also been defined in a manner that will make it easy to address yet another form of abuse that has in the past been difficult to report. This includes “uttering or conveying a threat or causing an applicant to receive a threat which includes a fear of imminent harm to the applicant.”

This Bill is also a big win for children.

Section 3 (3a) states that if a person has a domestic relationship with a child and “allows the child to see or hear the physical, sexual, or psychological abuse” is guilty of a crime.

Further, if such a person “puts the child or allows the child to be put at risk of seeing or hearing the physical, sexual, or psychological abuse” though guilty of a crime, “the person who suffers the abuse shall not be regarded as having caused or allowed the child to see or hear the abuse”.

Intervention

This Bill is therefore a first in many ways and once assented to by the President it will provide for the intervention of the courts to reduce and prevent violence in domestic relationships and to ensure that where domestic violence occurs, there is effective legal protection and relief for survivors.It is also a relief to PIK and its partners, who have been advocating for appropriate legislation that tackles sexual and gender based violence in the country.

That is why in the months leading to the passage of the Bill, PIK and partners lobbied stakeholders in and out of the National Assembly to ensure that unlike other pieces of legislation such as the Marriage Act 2014 and the Matrimonial Property Act 2013, the Bill was not watered down and that it received support in the National Assembly.

Survey

With the recently released Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, 2014 findings showing that domestic violence is not only on the rise but that women, men and children are vulnerable, the Bill sends the message that it will work in the interest of the family and for women, men and children.These are the issues the PIK has been emphasizing in its work and campaign.

Indeed, the PIK partners were really elated when the Bill was passed by parliamentarians, and many did indicate the next phase is to ensure the Bill is fully implemented once it is operational.

Hon Zipporah Kering leads from the front in war against GBV

By Renson Shamalla

I

n keeping with this year’s International Women’s Day theme, Nandi County Women Representative Zipporah Kering is indeed making it happen for women in the County and surrounding regions.

As a result, during the marking of this year’s International Women’s Day, Tusemezane interviewed this vocal and significant voice in the fight against sexual and gender based violence (SGBV).

Agent of change

Kering has become an instant agent of change in the County after she unveiled a programme that seeks to enlighten and empower women and youth in the area.

She is one of the local leaders working closely with Peace Initiative Project (PIK) to advocate against gender based violence in this county. She works closely with Rural Women Peace Link, which is PIK implementing partner in Nandi, Uasin Gishu and Trans Nzoia counties.

The adage that when you educate a woman, you educate the society aptly captures the identity of Kering.

Kering has acknowledged the significant contribution that she can make in the lives of thousands of women and girls in the County and beyond.

True to her promise during the 2013 general elections, she has remained a champion for issues that affects the lives of women and girls, and which

deny them socio-economic as well as political opportunities under the new constitutional dispensation.

The former trade unionist turned politician rides on the Maendeleo ya Wanawake grassroots network to mobilize women’s groups for consultative meetings where she spreads her messages of economic empowerment and ending gender based violence.

Seen by many as following into the footsteps of the late fiery politician Chelagat Mutai, the first time legislator cuts across as a four tier entrepreneur who is willing to start small with average returns.

She denies that her gesture to empower women and youth in the county is largely tied to the 2017 General Election. For Kering, it is impossible for women and youth to gain meaningful empowerment in the face of gender based violence.

Empoerment

Kering’s efforts are complementing what Rural Women Peace Link is doing in Nandi, Uasin Gishu and Trans Nzoia.

“I want to make sure that women become self-reliant, because then they will be financially independent and will move away from poverty which is a root cause of sexual and gender based violence,” says Kering.

She believes economic empowerment of women is one of the ways to making them self-reliant and reducing their vulnerability to gender based violence.

In that regard, she has initiated programmes that will see women equipped with skills on how to run small businesses such as buying tents for hire, rearing chicken, bee business, and running of green houses.

According to Kering: “The initiative will help instil the spirit of self-reliance and financial independence for the women and youth by providing affordable items at regular income.”

Her efforts to address gender based violence and empower women and youth has received a boost from the county government and social welfare entities that send representatives to the forums.

Forum

In all the six forums recently conducted, participants heard that most gender based violence, particularly defilement and rape happen in homes.The meeting was also told that parents do not keep close watch on their children.

At Kabiyet, Stella Wanyela, an Assistant County Commissioner for Nandi said: “Most gender based violence cases are never reported to the police because families fear the incident may taint their image.”

Wanyela reiterated that children under the age of 18 are protected by law and warned that those who violate their rights will be dealt with accordingly. At the same time, Wanyela blamed hard drugs and alcohol for the rising cases of gender based violence in the county.

Zipporah Kering Women Rep Nandi County (Right) in a breakfast meeting with Jebiwot Sumbwiywo PIK Chief of Party and Mary Chepkwony Deputy Executive Director RWPL in Eldoret. Photo Courtesy IRCPIK.

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PROMOTING A SOCIETY FREE OF GENDER VIOLENCE

She reported the matter to the police and the man was arrested, but up to date, she has not been told what transpired at the police station because he was later released.

These are stories that become commonplace in most families in Kenya, but due to fear of embarrassing their husbands or families, most survivors or their families are keeping quiet.

Though there is room to pursue justice through the legal structures, the PIK report show that formal courts are expensive and cases take long to conclude.

According to the My Action Counts report- Kisumu County, a Sexual and Gender Based Violence court proceeding can cost between Sh10, 000 – Sh100, 000 in a formal court, while informal justice system may cost less than Sh500 for the survivor. Hence explaining why survivors opt for the alternative justice system, which does not grant them justice, but is affordable.

P3 Forms Kisumu County Gender Violence Recovery Centre. Photo Courtesy IRC-PIK.

It is sobering statistics on GBV in Kisumu County

By HENRY KAHARA

A

report on the status of gender based violence in Kisumu County brings out disturbing and sobering facts about how women and children are routinely subjected to this form of violence.

Dubbed My Actions Count and produced by Peace Initiative Kenya (PIK), a project of the USAID and International Rescue Committee (IRC), the report highlights sexual, psychological, emotional and physical violence women and children undergo.

Report

The report shows that vulnerable populations including people living with disability and the elderly are most at risk of

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GBV. A cross cutting issue in the report is that sexual violence is on the rise.

Several harrowing stories narrated by survivors of sexual violence are captured in the report, indicating how pervasive this vice is in our society.

“My husband was always coming home drunk and due to influence of alcohol he would beat me and then forcefully have sex with me. On many occasions I ran away and slept at the neighbours or went back to my parent’s home but would return after a few days for the sake of my three children aged ten, six and four. In 2007, I left the matrimonial home and rented a room in Kitale town, where I lived with my children and sold cereals at the market,” narrates a sexual violence survivor.

After staying away from home for a while, the husband visited her rented room pleading for forgiveness, saying that he had reformed. She agreed to go back but after a short period he was back at it beating her senselessly until one day in 2008, he threatened to kill her.

Defile

During this time he also defiled his daughter. “Our four-year-old daughter was sleeping in the sitting room. After few minutes, I heard the child scream loudly and then went silently to check. I pleaded with him to allow me to take the child but he refused to open the door. After two hours, he opened the door and I entered the room to find to my dismay that he had defiled our daughter.”

The report further states “P3 forms are sometimes used as the basis of negotiating GBV cases out of court settlements in some cases. The Police charge a fee for issuance of P3 forms while the health facilities charge for filing the same.”

Yet in spite of the challenges, the report highlights that at the national level, the structures for GBV coordination are in existence. This includes the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) whose mandate is to promote the integration of the principles of equality and the freedom from discrimination in national and county policies, laws and administrative regulations.

Further the Directorate of Gender under the Ministry of Planning and Devolution is charged with Coordinating gender mainstreaming in national development, formulation, review and management of gender related policies and to promote equitable social economic development between men and women.

Like the findings of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, My Action Counts also found that in the majority of cases, sexual violence is perpetrated by persons known to the victims; and its root cause is the unequal power relations between men and women and abuse of this power by men. This results in the domination over, discrimination against and abuse of women.

PROMOTING A SOCIETY FREE OF GENDER VIOLENCE

Female circumcisers in Taita Taveta put on notice

By Benson Mwanga “I caution you not to circumcise this girl named after me unless you want her dead.”This warning by an elderly woman to her daughter captures the desperation some of the locals in Taita Taveta County are facing as they fight to end Female Genital Mutilation.

The grandmother’s words go against the grain since those of her age are strongly in support of the culture and have been blamed for its perpetuity.

Partners

Sauti ya Wanawake Pwani organization is therefore reaching out to those, like the lone grandmother, who have seen the light, to be champions against the vice.

However in most cases, older women force their sons and daughters-in-law to subject their children to the practice against their wish.

“I went through this rite and I do not want my daughters to undergo the same brutal practice,”said Irene Jumapili, from the Sauti Ya Wanawake Pwani,Taita Taveta chapter.

Sauti Ya Wanawake Pwani, an implementing partner of the Peace Initiative Kenya project in Mombasa, Taita Taveta and Kwale counties, has been carrying out campaigns aimed at influencing the communities in this county to abandon the practice.

According to Jumapili, the practice is currently being undertaken secretly by some unscrupulous elderly women, nurses and parents.

Reports

“There are reports that most girls are secretly being taken to Tanzania during holidays to undergo the cut,” noted Jumapili.

According to Khadija Deko, a resident of Taveta, the practice has led to a high school drop-out rate among girls and exposed survivors to health risks.

Speaking during a campaign dubbed Save Our Queens Campaign, Gifton Mkay, County Executive member for Health Services said the discreet manner in which the vice is now being done exposes victims to many risks as neither safety nor health precautions are observed.

Naima Achieng, Sauti ya Wanawake Pwani Representative, during an awareness creation forum against FGM in Kwale County. Photo Courtesy IRC-PIK .

“In most cases, the heinous act is carried out under unhygienic conditions that could easily expose the victims to infections among other health hazards,” Mkay noted.

In some instances, Mkay said, infants are subjected to the cut with those performing the act being oblivious of the risks involved.

According to Catherine Alinishi, a leader in the region, girls aged between five and 13 years are taken to Tanzania during the long festive season for circumcision.

Empowerment

This development is now worrying the County Women Representative Joyce Wanjala Lay. She says female circumcision which is on the rise in the region is one of the worst forms of gender based violence.

She believes that increasing the participation of women decision making and empowering them is key to ending Gender Based Violence.

“Unless the number of women in decision making platforms go up, they will not be able to influence decisions that directly affect their lives, they will remain excluded from mainstream development,” noted Lay. Lay attributed widespread Gender Based Violence to culture and financial insecurity as well as alcohol and drug abuse in the County. She noted that despite being common, GBV has not been accorded necessary attention by the government.

“Our approach to dealing with GBV

at improving national and county-level GBV service delivery systems and policy implementation.

Unless the number of women in decision making platforms go up, they will not be able to influence decisions that directly affect their lives, they will remain excluded from mainstream development,” Joyce Wanjala Lay, Taita Taveta County Women Representative should no longer be casual. We should apply multi-sectoral approaches that will help address and curb incidences of GBV in the county,” said Lay. She called on the county administration to assist local agencies to implement effective protection services for abused persons.

The PIK project is one such initiative that aims at working with county leadership to ensure that Kenya is a nation free of GBV.The PIK project aims

A report, My Action Counts: An Assessment of GBV Response in Taita Taveta County conducted by PIK noted that the region recorded a total of more than 13,090 GBV cases between June and August 2014.

The status report on various forms of sexual and physical violence indicates that Taveta sub-County leads with over 10,100 cases, Mwatate 896, Wundanyi 857 and Voi 834.

Violence

Those GBV cases on the rise include domestic violence, sexual harassment and sexual abuse among minors, rape, incest, abortion, female circumcision and psychological abuse. Other forms of abuse reported include child prostitution, early marriages, forced marriages, teenage pregnancies, marital rape, dowry related and non-spousal violence, exploitation and deprivation of freedom and commercial sexual exploitation.

Felix Kimotho, Taveta Medical Superintendent said county government in partnership with the police and Judiciary have established a Gender Based Violence Recovery Centre to handle cases of sexual violence.

Stakeholders involved in campaigns against FGM and GBV in the County include the county government, Judiciary, National Police Service, children’s and health departments, International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Sauti Ya Wanawake Pwani among others. | Tusemezane issue 7

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PROMOTING A SOCIETY FREE OF GENDER VIOLENCE

process.

The report further says that 22 out of the 59 reported cases were effectively addressed after being channelled to the Department of Children Services and the police.

The Children Services Director Ahmed Hussein said statistics had shown that Coast region was leading with the highest number of child abuse cases including exposing young girls to prostitution.

“Parents have fuelled the menace by voluntarily permitting their young girls to engage in sex for pay with tourists and local people,” Hussein said.

He noted that the Government was committed to addressing the problem and was happy with the tracking of child abuse cases through mobile application systems.

Hassan Vunga Children Officer Msambweni Kwale County explaining to the participants Children Act and punishments which applies when a child is raped. Photo Courtesy IRC-PIK

Child abuse in Kwale and Kilifi triggers action from PIK

By Bekadzo Tondo

C

ases of sexual abuse of children in Kwale and Kilifi County are taking a worrying trend with local organizations now engaging in aggressive advocacy to have the community and the government take stern action against the perpetrators of this violence.

One of the organizations that is on the forefront advocating against this violence in the two counties is Sauti ya Wanawake Pwani which is a Peace Initiative Kenya Project implementing partner.

According to a 2014 report on sexual and gender based violence in Kwale County conducted by Peace Initiative Kenya (PIK), My Action Counts, abuse of children, especially girls, is disturbing.

Violence

The reports note that families forcibly marry off their young girls and receive dowry in instalments. For those girls who get pregnant, they are forcefully married off or subjected to violence when they are seen not meeting the expectations

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| Tusemezane issue 7

of a wife.

The young girls are also subjected to female genital mutilation particularly among the Maasai and the Duruma living in the County, the report notes.

There are also many cases where children are neglected, forcing them to engage in child labour.

In Kilifi County, another study shows that at least 60 under aged children were exposed to different types of abuse including sexual acts over a period of one month.

Survey

The survey, which was conducted in two sub-counties in the month of April, 2014 revealed that 16 girls were sexually abused with 10 of them being impregnated.The survey was done in Ganze and Bahari sub-counties by Plan Kenya.

The problem of child abuse is a major concern for child rights and anti-gender based violence advocates in the Coast region. It is because of this that Sauti Ya Wanawake Pwani is working to address these issues.

The release of the My Action Counts is one of the key interventions by PIK to bring to the attention of the county government and residents the need to address these issues. So is the study done

by Plan Kenya.

According to Plan Kenya Kilifi region Manager Margaret Kahiga, the initiative was mooted to increase the level of reporting and ensure that offenders are brought to book.

“The move by Plan Kenya was inspired by the large number of violations that went unreported at the community level,” said Kahiga.

According to the survey, out of the 60 cases of child abuse registered through the system, 47 were girls and 23 boys.

The report notes that 35 were cases of general neglect of the children by their parents such as not taking them to school or offering them food.

Cases

Sixteen cases were of girls who were exposed to acts of sexuality where 10 of them reported having conceived in the

He said poverty was the source of all the problems but reiterated that the Government will not tolerate cases where children get abused by people among them parents and close family members.

“Earlier surveys had shown that coast region was leading with many cases where children, mostly underaged girls get exposed to commercial sex by their own parents,” said Hussein.

He challenged the Judiciary to impose stiffer penalties to those found violating minors in any way.

Working with the government, Sauti ya Wanawake Pwani has also been reaching out to various stakeholders to ensure that all forms of gender based violence are addressed and perpetrators brought to book.

Child Abuse

According to the organization, cases of child abuse must be addressed parallel to cases of violence against women and girls to ensure that vulnerable children are not left out.

As part of the interventions by the Coastal organisations, awareness creation in communities has been top on the agenda of organizations advocacy work.

But awareness creation and sensitizing the community is not enough, Sauti ya Wanawake Pwani is aware that there is need to involve all channels of reporting and to use all mechanisms established to bring perpetrators to book.

The other focus is to assist children who have fallen prey to sexual and physical abusers to come to terms with the traumatic experiences.

As more cases continue to emerge, Sauti ya Wanawake Pwani is more vigilant than ever with both curative and preventive measures in a bid to protect the vulnerable children in Kilifi and Kwale.