The government is working on critical reforms that seek to decriminalise petty offences and introduce alternatives to prosecution, a move geared towards giving prisoners a second chance.
Attorney General (AG) Dorcas Oduor said reforms are in the pipeline to introduce options to incarceration that will allow prisoners to go about their duties while serving their prison sentences, which will result in a review of the bail regime.
“We are going to come up with an initiative to re-look at the criminal justice system because, in the whole chain, it is women who suffer," AG Oduor said.
She was speaking during the launch of Ignite Her 4 Africa, an initiative designed to provide a sustainable support system for women across Africa.
The AG said it is mostly men who commit offences, but their wives suffer at home when left to look after the family as the men serve jail time.
She said the time has come for women to start working together to lift each other as she reiterated her plans to reform the country’s criminal justice system to alleviate the suffering of women.
“We are calling for reforms for everybody because if we reform the criminal justice system, women's lives improve as we are the ones who carry the society,” Oduor said.
Law Society of Kenya president Faith Odhiambo reiterated the urgent need for reforms in the criminal justice system, citing a rise in femicide in sports, especially athletics, due to a lack of knowledge of women’s rights and legal protection.
“There is still more work for women in the different sectors. As we ignite change, let us take the opportunity to support and raise other women, push for greater transformation, and ensure we make a huge difference,” Odhiambo said.
Australian High Commissioner to Kenya Jenny Da Rin said after four decades, the world is beginning to witness the rise of hard-working, confident, qualified, ethical, professional, and intellectual women supporting each other.
The President's Adviser on Women's Rights, Harriette Chiggai, affirmed the urgent need for women to begin creating safe spaces at home and workplaces to ease growing hate within society.
She said her office is running a 'Safe Home, Safe Spaces' campaign to bring back the warmth within society.
