Government highlights gaps in GBV data as activism drive begins

Patrick Nyakundi-KNA

Gender Based Violence (GBV) is a scourge that harms individuals, impacting negatively on the collective progress of Kenya, the Prime Cabinet Secretary (PCS) Musalia Mudavadi has said.

Consequently, Mudavadi said it is the collective responsibility of all Kenyans to speak for justice, equality, and the inalienable right of every woman, girl, man and boy to live free from fear and harassment in the society.

He further said GBV is not a private issue but a public crisis that requires urgent action from policymakers, community leaders, or youth advocates and civil societies to end the vice that happens in both developed and developing countries.

“We gather here in solidarity, from urban centres to rural communities, to amplify that GBV is not a private issue but a public crisis that needs urgent action to have world free from violence and oppression,” Mudavadi said in a speech read on his behalf by the Principal Secretary in the State Department of the Prime Cabinet Secretary Office Aurelia Chepkurui Rono at Unoa Sports Ground in Wote town in Makueni County during the national launch of the 16 days of activism against GBV.

He said GBV continues to occur across all social-economic and cultural backgrounds. On prevention, the PCS said the government is committed to using data from various agencies to guide preventive measures to end all forms of GBV in society.

Mudavadi pointed out that findings from the National Crime Research Centre indicate that there is a sustained prevalence and escalating trends of physical violence within the family set up that violates the rights of children, increase of teenage pregnancies and school dropout.

He observed that there was inconsistency in data categorization, capture, and reporting among different agencies addressing issues of GBV and violation of children rights in the country.

“In combating GBV, utilization of data is critical in informing policy and interventions needed to end all forms of gender-based violence. The government is committed to use data collected by various agencies to guide investment in prevention measures,” he said.

 According to the Demographic Survey of Kenya 2022, nationally 34 per cent of women have experienced physical violence out of which 16 per cent experienced it often compared to 27 per cent of men who were affected by physical violence.

The survey further said women between the ages of 45 to 49 years old have high experience of physical violence the most being at 42 per cent whereas in Makueni cases of physical violence were reported to be 22.7 per cent and sexual violence at 17.5 per cent while 6.3 per cent experience violence during pregnancy.

The survey further says that married couples or those living together experience the highest level of physical violence at 37 per cent for women and 23.5 per cent for men in the country.

The prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM) is 15 per cent. However, the FGM increases with age for women between the ages of 45 to 49 which is 23 per cent, the survey reveals.

Mudavadi also revealed that the government was committed to ending GBV through the legal and policy frameworks like Sexual Offences Act, Protection Against Domestic Violence Act, and policies that have built a foundation that emphasizes accountability and justice for survivors.

He challenged both the county and national government to enforcement agencies and the community to ensure the laws are implemented.

“We know that policies must translate into action, I urge the law enforcement agencies to implement the laws,” he said.

He said the Kenya National Policy on Prevention and Response on Gender –Based Violence is finalizing the male strategy.

The document emphasizes prevention, protection and support for survivors and seeks partnerships with civil society, county governments and international partners, community-based organizations and leaders to work with all arms of government in implementing the plans.