Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (Kewopa) has called on government institutions, civil society, and media to collaborate to end violence against women and girls.
The caucus, which works to promote and protect democracy and advocate for women's rights made the clarion call while marking the start of this year’s 16 Days of Activism campaign.
“By addressing systemic challenges and ensuring accountability, we can create a safer society for women and girls,” Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi, an official of KEWOPA said during a sensitisation campaign Kileleshwa Primary.
Kewopa is a cross party caucus bringing on board all women parliamentarians drawn from both houses (National Assembly and Senate).
Elachi said the collaboration should focus on addressing the rise in digital abuse targeting women and advocate for enhanced online safety measures.
She added that the campaign should advocate for enforcement of laws and raising awareness in communities still practicing FGM and call for stronger legal frameworks to hold perpetrators of femicide accountable.
“We must also provide platforms for survivors and activists to share their stories and call for gender-responsive solutions,” she said.
Elachi added that legislators, policymakers, and grassroots organisations need come together to advocate for stronger laws, policies, and accountability mechanisms.
Valarie Aura, a survivor of Gender-Based Violence, pleaded with the government to establish and equip safe houses for women and girls who have undergone the brutality.
“GBV survivors need safe houses. I am a survivor who walked out of a violent home. I left as a young girl, together with my sisters and mother,” she said.
Aura encourages women who have gone through abuse to speak out against the violence.
“I am glad that we have a lot of men with us here in this campaign. This is the way to go,” she said.
Elachi urged parent to play a leading role in curbing violence against boys and girls.
“Let your children show you their friends, do not just assume they are in good company,” she said.
Each year, from 25 November to 10 December, World Human Rights Day, the 16 Days of Activism campaign calls for action against one of the world's most persistent violations of human rights – violence against women.
The 2024 theme of the campaign is “Towards Beijing +30: UNiTE to end violence against women and girls.”
