Policy on Sexual and Gender Based Violence launched in Kisumu

Kisumu County Assembly Acting Speaker Elisha Oraro unveils the document that contains the Kisumu County Policy on Sexual and Gender Based Violence that has been launched in Kisumu-Photo By Dickson Odhiambo

 By Dickson Odhiambo

December 5, 2019.

Policy on Sexual and Gender Based Violence launched in Kisumu

The County Government of Kisumu has developed and launched a comprehensive policy framework designed to eliminate sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) at the local level.

This makes it the second County in Kenya to realize this milestone.

In a press statement, the policy seeks to address SGBV incidences in the county and promote gender equality by setting up systems that will protect, prevent and respond to these violations whenever they occur. 

It borrows heavily from national, regional and international laws that Kenya is obligated to implement and was informed by the need to respond to widespread SGBV violations.

Kisumu County is indeed among counties that have a particularly high prevalence of SGBV incidences.

 “For instance, the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (2014) reported that 39.2 percent of pregnant women in the County had experienced physical violence. In 97 percent of these cases, the violence had been perpetrated by the women’s intimate partners,” part of the statement reads.

While SGBV violations in Kisumu County have previously been linked to certain cultural beliefs and traditions, post-election violence as well as socio-economic status of the vulnerable groups, the high prevalence of SGBV calls for the need to create local interventions and solutions.

Patricia Nudi, the Coordinator at the Kisumu Medical Education Trust {KMET} said the launch of the SGBV policy is a welcome relief as it will provide homegrown, multi-faceted remedies that will address these human rights violations. 

She says the policy calls for the prioritization of SGBV-responsive interventions including the allocation of sufficient financial and human resources geared towards supporting activities that will redress these violations. It further creates mechanisms that will support survivors of SGBV while ensuring that SGBV laws are fully enforced at the local level.

 “Besides this, the policy brings together state and non-state actors in a bid to enhance accountability, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of programs directed towards ending SGBV,” she says.

Faiza Mohamed Director Equality Now in charge of Africa says the policy acknowledges that SGBV violations affect women and girls disproportionately, but speaks for the human rights of both sexes and will be implemented at county, sub-County and ward levels.

“It further notes that orphans and vulnerable children, persons with disabilities, youth, sexual & gender minorities, and the elderly are also vulnerable to SGBV,” she says.

County Assembly of Kisumu Acting Speaker Elisha Jack Oraro the policy will now help in identification even Sexual Gender Based Violence which have been hidden.

He says with the unveiling of the Policy, Kisumu County will move towards ensuring that the regions is free from Gender based Violence.

Through the policy, the County government of Kisumu will establish a SGBV steering committee and technical working groups which will flow from the County to the ward level.

The steering committee will provide strategic policy direction towards the implementation of relevant SGBV laws, policies and mobilization of resources for SGBV protection, prevention, response and coordination initiatives.

“Lastly, the Kisumu County SGBV policy will complement the Constitution of Kenya (2010), the Sexual Offences Act (2006), the Children’s Act (2001), the Penal Code (2009), the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act (2011) among other national laws as well as regional and international laws including the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa,” the statement adds.

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