ISSUE 090, September 17-30, 2013
National Summit on Gender Based Violence and Peace
Unfiltered, uninhibited…just the gruesome truth
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US commits support in the fight against GBV By VALENTINE ATIENO The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in partnership with the Ministry of Health has established five gender based violence recovery centres. The model centres provide comprehensive post-rape services, legal advice, psychological and medical support. Speaking during the National Summit on Gender Based Violence, Karen Freeman, Kenya Mission Director, USAID, said they are planning to establish three more centres this year. Freeman noted that US President Barrack Obama is at the forefront in the fight against gender based violence by stating that “when mothers and daughters access the opportunity, that’s when economy grows”. “Gender Based Violence robs the mothers and daughters of opportunities, it undermines the safety and dignity and human rights of the individuals who experience it,” said Freeman. She noted that GBV is an obstacle to development because it undermines public health, economic stability and security of the nation. She said that in the United States an Executive Order was introduced by President Obama to look into, prevent and respond to gender based violence globally. The US strategy to prevent and respond to gender based violence globally is premised on four objectives; 1. To increase coordination of gender
based violence prevention and response. 2. To enhance integration of gender based violence efforts into existing programmes. 3. To improve the collection, analysis and use of data on gender based violence. 4. To expand US government gender based violence programming. Freeman noted that this strategic approach builds on stronger foundation on US programmes that address women, peace and security, global health, AIDs, relief, counter trafficking in persons and humanitarian efforts. She added that the Peace Initiative Kenya project had exceeded the expectations of USAID. “Peace initiative Kenya, Freeman noted, has enabled civil society organisations and the government to come up with county peace platforms in 18 counties.
Women Empowerment
“Evidence demonstrates that women’s empowerment is critical to building stable, democratic societies to supporting open and accountable governance, to furthering international peace and security, to growing market economies and addressing pressing education and health challenges,” Freeman said. She observed: “We certainly saw the power of women in action during the recent elections. Women were at the forefront of promoting reconciliation efforts in communities
Karen Freeman USAID Kenya Mission Director said they have pledged to improve the services to the survivors and strengthen the prevention efforts. Picture: Internet divided during the previous presidential elections.” Freeman reiterated that addressing gender based violence and promoting women’s empowerment was equally important under the devolved system of government. In Kenya, the USAID works with the civil society organisations and the Government of Kenya to increase awareness of gender based violence. “We are going to improve the services to the survivors and strengthen the prevention efforts,” Freeman reiterated. She added that they will continue to support the Government of Kenya to help promote
awareness and create understanding and enforcement of the Sexual Offences Act of 2006. “Understanding of the Sexual Offences Act of 2006 proves to be a problem but working together with the government, we are going to sensitise communities on the same,” she reiterated. Freeman said they have extended their support at the county level through the Population and Health Integrated Assistance program (APHIA). “With the Sita Kimya communication we have reached the 47 counties in Kenya to advocate, campaign and increase awareness for gender based violence,” she added.
Measures set towards eradicating Gender Based Violence By DUNCAN MBOYAH Gender based violence in all its forms and purposes is considered as one of the most pervasive forms of human rights violations. In Kenya, it takes place in all regions as the recorded data indicates and is increasing in a large scale. Gender based violence is also known to have devastating effects on individuals and communities, often resulting to physical, mental and health problems hence overstretching the health facilities from their expected capacity to cope. Even though it came to the fore following the post-election violence of 2007–2008 when many women and men underwent untold violations, gender based violence takes place on a daily basis but escalates during electioneering period. The menace has continued to rise forcing the Judiciary to invoke heavy punishment on perpetrators even as the Government has also introduced measures to help end it. “We have developed programmes for prevention and response towards eradicating Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the country,” said Anne Waiguru, Cabinet Secretary for Devolution and Planning at the National Summit GBV on Thursday. According to Waiguru, the interventions include telephone help lines, shelters and rescue homes, establishment of gender based violence recovery centres, legal aid clinics, psychosocial support services and reha-
bilitation services. “We have also formed male groups to champion the rights of women by using fathers, brothers and husbands to serves as advocates to end gender based violence within their communities and the society as a whole,” Waiguru noted.
Intervene
In a speech read on her behalf by Catherine Muoki, Director of Gender at the Ministry of Devolution, Waiguru noted that the interventions have provided a solid basis for shifting social norms that have perpetuated violence against women hence demonstrating potential for lasting social change. She said that following the ratification of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, Kenya has developed an action plan that incorporates a human centred security approach that focuses on the protection of individuals rather than on defend-
ing the physical and political integrity of state. The intervention on strengthening the legal systems and accelerating implementation of existing gender based violence related policies and legislations have been prioritized. The government has undertaken measures to protect and promote women’s rights through Sexual Offences Act 2006 as well as the Employment Act 2007 that protects women from sexual violence, counter trafficking and sexual harassment. “The policy also insists that the inclusion of women in peace committees at County levels comprise not less than a third of the committees,” she added. Waiguru observed that in spite of having policies and frameworks in place, ending gender based violence requires a change of mind-sets at family and community levels to ensure preventing violence becomes everyone’s responsibility.
She observed that it is demeaning to deny anyone their social right as manifested in cultural practices that subject women and girls to domestic violence, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and trafficking as sex slaves and ritual sacrifice. “Conflict impacts women and men differently with women most killed, maimed, raped and displaced during such tragedies,” Waiguru said. Noting that women also undergo trauma of witnessing their children and husbands being killed and maimed by conflicts, Waiguru called for support towards coming up with initiatives such as giving credit to women as a means of empowering them economically as a way of eradicating gender based violence. There is need also to change norms and behaviours by emphasising prevention through education and awareness programmes which can challenge norms about domestic violence and enhancing women’s control over re-
“We have developed programmes for prevention and response towards eradicating gender based violence in the country. Interventions include telephone help lines, shelters and rescue homes, establishment of gender based violence recovery centres, legal aid clinics, psychosocial support services and rehabilitation services. — Anne Waiguru, Cabinet Secretary Devolution and Planning.
sources. These sentiments were echoed by Karen Freeman, USAID Kenya Mission Director who noted: “Gender based violence is an obstacle to development as it robs mothers and daughters an opportunity, undermines their dignity, safety and human rights.” Freeman said that USAID was in partnership with the Ministry of Health and had established five gender based violence recovery centres in the country. “These model centres provide comprehensive post-rape services such as legal, psychological and mental support,” she added. Evidence demonstrates that women’s empowerment is critical to building stable democratic societies hence the need to support open and accountable governance that allows women to exercise their rights. The model centres provide comprehensive post-rape services including legal, psychological and medical support. Under the leadership of Peace Initiative Kenya (PIK), a USAID funded initiative, peace committees, paralegals and loaning schemes have been started in 18 counties in with the aim of empowering victims of gender based violence. PIK has so far given out $5,000 (KSh43 million) to women’s groups towards the management of GBV issues as well as starting small scale income generating activities to make them self-reliant.