Imagine a quiet evening in Nairobi when you receive heartbreaking news that your daughter, sister, aunt or mother has become another statistic in the growing cases of femicide.
This tragic reality has become all too familiar for women across Kenya, who live in constant fear of becoming the next victim of femicide; the gender-based killing of women.
Sadly, this is the reality we continue to face in 2025. Despite the Government’s concern amidst public outcry, femicide remains rampant.
In January 2025 alone, 15 women have been reported killed—these are only, the documented cases where as many more Kenyans are suffering in silence, their stories never to be heard.
The Silencing Women Project report by Africa Uncensored and OdipoDev provides worrying statistics.
Last year, 170 women were reported killed.
These statistics are not just numbers. Behind each one is a life cut short—someone’s daughter, sister, or mother.
The killers are often not strangers. They are men known to those women others being intimate partners, family members, neighbors.
For many women, the threat of violence is not just a distant fear. It’s a daily reality that follows them, even when they are at home, which should be their safe place.
The question we must ask ourselves is why this violence continues. Why is it that in a country so rooted in firm religious beliefs, the sanctity of life is disregarded with such insensitivity? And what can we, as a society do to break this deadly cycle?
One of the key steps in bringing an end to femicide is changing harmful ideas about what it means to be a man.
Many men are taught that being strong means being aggressive and controlling, but this needs to change.
True strength lies in empathy, respect, and kindness. Men must be part of the solution. It’s not enough to say that we condemn violence; we must actively fight against it.
This fight isn’t against the government or the law—it’s about holding accountable those responsible for violence, often people we know. If we fail to act, who will?
On its part, the government has taken significant action in response to the increasing number of femicides.
In 2024, the declaration of gender-based violence (GBV) as a threat to national security was a step forward giving hope to us the citizenry.
This move sparked renewed hope that something concrete would be done to protect women.
The authority has gone a step further by swearing in, the Technical Working Group on GBV and Femicide.
The working group led by Dr. Nancy Baraza was sworn in at the KICC on January 28, 2025, after its being appointed by President William Ruto, ready to lead the charge in addressing this growing crisis.
This team has the crucial task of investigating the root causes of femicide and recommending policies to address it. Dr. Baraza, addressing the task force during the swearing-in ceremony, expressed her confidence that the group would rise to the challenge. “The job ahead of us is a daunting task, but looking around at all of you, I know we are equal to the task. This is a matter we need to deal with conclusively as a nation,” she said.
Dr. Baraza's words underscore the significance of this moment. Our leaders are finally taking action against the crisis that has affected our society for far too long. And yet, even with these steps in place, the question remains: will it be enough?
During the swearing-in ceremony, the Principal Secretary for Gender and Affirmative Action stressed on Dr. Baraza’s sentiments saying, “We have to sort out our own problems. We shouldn’t be talking about violence against women in the 21st century.
This is a matter, of national concern and concerted efforts are required by all and sundry to arrest it once and for all.
This statement, delivered with conviction, underlines that addressing femicide is a collective effort. It is not enough to pass laws or establish task forces; it requires each one of us to challenge the harmful attitudes that fuel this violence.
As the new task force begins its work, we can’t afford to sit back and wait for change to come from the top down. We must all play our part. In our communities, we can set up neighborhood watch programs, support survivor networks, and create safe spaces where women can speak out without fear.
Our youth must be taught the values of equality, respect, and non-violence.
Only then can we hope to break the cycle of violence and raise a generation that will reject harmful behaviors.
As UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous said, “Behind every femicide statistic is the story of an individual woman or girl who has been failed. These deaths are preventable.”
We already have the tools and knowledge to prevent femicide. What we need now is the collective will to act. Ending femicide in Kenya requires more than just policy changes—it demands a shift on how we, as a society, view and treat women. We all have a part to play. If we are truly committed to the course, we shall win this war.
Rose Chepkoech Chirchir is an SISP Intern at the Office of Government Spokesperson.
