Uasin Gishu county recorded more than 16,000 cases of gender-based violence in the past year.
Physical and emotional violence accounted for 13,606 cases while 1,456 involved sexual violence, among other forms.
Deputy Governor Evans Kapkea said the figures indicate cases in the region were on a sharp increase and there was a need for concerted efforts to reverse the trend. Kapkea spoke in Eldoret at the launch of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.
He said the statistics sourced from Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and Uasin Gishu County Hospital reflected the gravity of GBV within the communities in the region and other parts of the country.
“GBV and femicide are vices that are not acceptable in our society and we have to do everything possible to ensure we have a secure society for all,” Kapkea said.
He also said the rise in teenage pregnancies demanded targeted interventions to protect young girls and secure their future.
The theme for this year’s activism is centred around unity to end violence against women and girls. The deputy governor urged all players to ensure extensive sensitisation of communities on the need to end GBV and femicide. He regretted that many women, including athletes, had lost their lives due to GBV and femicide.
“As we commemorate the global campaign to end gender-based violence and femicide, let’s pause to honour the memory of victims of these injustices,” Kapkea said.
He named some of the deceased athletes including Agnes Tirop, Rebecca Cheptegei , Damaris Muthee and university student Ivy Wangechi.
Kapkea said there was a need to empower communities through extensive awareness campaigns. He said the county government was advancing grassroot campaigns with the aim of educating communities on GBV prevention and provide support to the survivors.
“We are encouraging families to focus more on dialogue to foster unity, empathy, and understanding as critical elements of social restoration”, he said.
Kapkea said called for efforts to tackle alcoholism as a root cause of increased GBV cases. The county rehabilitation centre in Moiben has achieved a lot in transforming addicts into agents of positive change.
“We will also ensure strict regulation of alcohol licenses so that establishments contributing to societal breakdown face consequences.”
He encouraged partnerships with faith-based and civil society organisations to foster community cohesion. Kapkea urged men to break their silence, speak out and take an active role in helping to end GBV.
“I call for a joint male engagement session and to have men as ambassadors of ending violence.”
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an international campaign whose aim is to tame violence against females; women and girls.
The campaign runs annually from November 25, which is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to December 10, Human Rights Day.
The campaign was originally called
’16 Days of Activism Against Gender
Violence’ and was established in 1991.
