Several rights organisations and the government have partnered to raise awareness on Gender-Based Violence amid the soaring cases of teen pregnancies and early marriages in Lunga-Lunga constituency, Kwale county.
According to the area's children officer Elizabeth Kariuki, the subcounty recorded over 20 cases of teen pregnancies and early marriages in the past three months.
The officer said the cases are alarming as more continue to destroy the girls' future.
"GBV cases are still a major concern in this area. They happen daily," she said.
Kariuki said the cases are soaring despite numerous efforts and campaigns to curb the vice in the region.
She blamed the rising cases on the increased parental negligence and outdated traditions and cultures.
Kariuki said the vice is more common in the Maasai community living in the rural area of the Lunga-Lunga subcounty.
She added that divorces and single parenthood have also contributed to defilement because many cases of teen pregnancies are a result of incest.
Kariuki said often, mothers leave their homes after breaking up while male parents live with their daughters and end up defiling them.
She, however, said all the 20 cases were presented in a court of law and the victims got the required help.
"We are glad to report that all these cases were well handled and the perpetrators arrested," she said.
Kariuki said the remaining biggest challenge is that some of the people don't report the cases and use the Kangaroo courts to solve them.
She said they have partnered with various stakeholders to enhance collective responsibility in protecting children.
Kariuki said they are working with grassroots leaders and various rights organisations to scale up campaigns against child abuse in the area and across the county.
She said children are tomorrow's future and should be protected and empowered to become responsible citizens.
Kariuki said they are determined to make homes and streets safe and conducive for children to thrive and be safeguarded from any violence.
Human Rights Agenda Public Complaint Response officer Mwinyihaji Chamosi said the partnership intends to fill in the gaps and strengthen the fight against GBVs.
He said proper mechanisms and policies are in place but the cases are growing because of incompatible working modes between the community, NGO and the responsible public offices.
"There is a disconnection somewhere and that's why we have partnered to address those challenges and give children the desired protection," he said.
Chamosi urged the judicial system to prioritise children's cases, especially GBVs, to hold perpetrators accountable.
He said prolonging the defilement cases in courts weakens the case and sometimes the affected families give up, resulting in denied justice.
Chamosi said most times, defilement cases are dropped for lacking enough evidence because the witnesses and evidence are compromised.
Muslims for Human Rights officer Abdulrahman Mwangoka said they are looking forward to having better mechanisms to engage the community, leaders and the children on rights and children awareness campaigns.
He said the community has left the burden of protecting children to the government not knowing it is a collective responsibility.
KidsCare Child Protection manager Rose Nyambuso said the main goal of the partnership is to educate the community on rights protection.
She said they will be holding a major event on Saturday bringing all stakeholders to advocate for children's rights and curb teen pregnancies and early marriages.