Peace Initiative Kenya Gender Based Violence Advocacy Success Stories in Nandi County
Gender Based Violence (GBV) refers to any harmful act perpetrated against a person because of their gender. It includes physical, sexual, and psychological abuse; threats; coercion; arbitrary deprivation of liberty; harmful traditional practices such as early and forced marriage, “honor� killings, Female Genital Mutilation/ Cutting; and economic deprivation, whether occurring in public or private life.
Members of the Tuiyoluk Women Group from Nandi county
TUIYOLUK WOMEN GROUP
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eace Initiative Kenya (PIK) Project collaborates with Tuiyoluk Women Group, a community initiative of 30 elderly women aged above 65-years who are reformed Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) perpetrators. They are now advocating against the practice and mentor young girls in schools in Nandi County. The group came together after abandoning the act of performing FGM, following rigorous campaigns against the vice by organizations such as the Rural Women Peace Link (RWPL). This group has emerged as one of the vocal voices against FGM and champions for the girlchild development by ensuring that girls who were married off early also get a chance to go back to school and get an education.
This initiative has witnessed over 15 young mothers go back to school. “We have gone to schools, we have educated them, and have seen them improve their lives,” says Mary Tot, Chairlady Tuiyoluk Women Group. One young mother who has gone back to school thanks to the group’s intervention is Chepkirui (not her real name). At her young age of 18 years; she has borne the brunt of dropping out of school and being married off. Chepkirui became pregnant in 2013 while in class eight, her final year in primary school. She sat for her final examinations while pregnant and attained 237 marks. Despite qualifying to join secondary school, Chepkirui dropped out of school and was
Chepkirui (not her real name), a beneficiary of Tuiyoluk Women Group
married off to the man who made her pregnant as her parents could not afford to pay her fees while at the same time take care of the baby. Chepkirui case is testimony of the effort that the Tuiyolok Women group is showing in empowering young mothers to continue
with their education, while making sure the ones in school do not drop-out again. The intervention of the group led to the admission of Chepkirui as a day-scholar, in one of the secondary school closer to her home. Today, as Chepkirui goes about her
studies, she is a force to reckon with among her peers who benefit from her inspirational story. She does not mince her words when she gives pearls of wisdom to her fellow classmates; “I would like to urge my fellow students not to get married before completing school.”
Male Champions
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ural Women Peace Link (RWPL) under the Peace Initiative Kenya (PIK) Project works with male champions in advocating against Gender Based Violence (GBV). This includes the Nandi Council of Elders (also known as Kaburwo) and youth organizations in Nandi County. The Kaburwo are respected members of the Nandi Community owing to the fact that they are custodians of patriarchy. Their roles vary from leadership, advisory and sanctioning perpetrators of various wrongs in the community. RWPL has been instrumental in initiating dialogue with the Kaburwo and has encouraged them to address GBV issues, by engaging them in various PIK Project community forums including peace building, women rights advocacy and awareness Members of the Nandi Kaburwo Council of Elders creation towards ending GBV. Through this intervention, the Kaburwo have been seen to endorse the legal court system of resolving GBV as compared to the traditional way where perpetrators were allowed to pay petty fines. “The Kaburwo has representative in the Court Users Committee to support in addressing various crimes taking place in the community, including GBV,” says Marusin Kogo, Treasurer of the Kaburwo.
The Youth The youth have also been given prominence in the fight against GBV, by giving them representation in the different forums within the community where GBV issues are discussed. Nicholas Kibet, the Nandi Youth Bunge Association president, Nandi County
Women participating during a GBV awareness forum held in Chepkumia, Nandi County
COURT USERS COMMITTEE COMES TO THE RESCUE OF GBV SURVIVORS
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n addressing Gender Based Violence, involvement of legal structures is key. To maximize on the project success, Peace Initiative Kenya works with the Court Users Committee in Nandi County to ensure that due process is followed for GBV cases and matters are handled in a timely manner. The Committee is chaired by the Kapsabet Senior Resident Magistrate and its members include both state and non-state actors who comprise of public prosecutor, lawyers,
health workers, Chiefs, Council of Elders, the police and civil society officials among others. Through this Committee, cases of GBV have been given priority thus enabling survivors of GBV to access justice. The use of mobile courts in various locations within Nandi has paved way for a speedy justice resolution mechanism. “Bringing the courts closer to the people helps victims/survivors of gender based violence get quick
and fair hearing,” states Gladys Adhiambo, Senior Resident Magistrate Kapsabet Law Courts. The Court Users Committee is also lobbying to have more courts set up at the grassroots level to make justice accessible to more ordinary people, especially those affected by GBV.
Kapsabet Senior Resident magistrate, Ms Gladys Adhiambo, who doubles as the Court Users Committee chairlady.
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS
Nandi County Women Representative , Zipporah Kering addressing community members in a GBV campaign forum
role in influencing policies and allocating resources for improved GBV prevention and response.
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he PIK project works with various county government leaders in addressing gender based violence. This is because the project acknowledges their
The Nandi County Women Representative is among other leaders who have been engaged by the project in raising awareness on the crisis of GBV at the county level. She has taken part in community forums where issues of gender based violence among others are discussed. “I want to ensure that women become selfreliant, because then they will be financially independent and will move away from poverty which is a root cause of sexual and gender based violence,” notes Zipporah Kering, Nandi County Women Representative.
CONCLUSION
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eace Initiative Kenya (PIK) Project has succeeded in laying the foundation for sustainable GBV prevention and response and a peaceful co-existence in the various communities. The project has increased the access and utilization of GBV services through community outreach and other awareness raising efforts. By involving County officials
and structure in the project activities, there is recognition of GBV as a development issue and commitment to effectively address GBV. “My office is working together with the office of the Governor Nandi County to establish rescue centers for survivors of sexual and gender based violence." Zipporah Kering, Nandi County Women Representative.
The PIK Partnership The Funding Agency of PIK Project
NYABENDE SUPPORT PROGRAMMES E M P O W E RI N G W O M E N
P u t ti ng a Smi le o n So meo ne’ s F a ce E ver y Da y
The Lead Implementing Partner of PIK Project