Meru is the first county to launch its Sexual and Gender-based Violence Policy.
Recent data by the National Crimes Centre indicates that 66.7 per cent of Meru women experienced gender violence in the past year.
"Battering was recorded at 88 per cent while killings scored 34.9 per cent in the preceding 12 months," the policy reads.
It was launched last week on Wednesday to address issues affecting gender violence in relation to the social, political and economic costs of all forms of violence and suggests ways to address them.
The policy indicates that gender-based violence includes wife-beating, rape, female genital mutilation and other forms of violence such as cyberbullying.
"At the individual level, sexual and gender violence results in pain and psychological trauma. At the social level, it often results in the breakdown of the family unit and results in an economic burden on the government."
While acknowledging that gender violence involves men and women, it states that women are disproportionately affected due to poor education and economic dependence on men.
However, despite government interventions in terms of legislative and policy framework, gender violence still remains a serious challenge in society.
The policy recognises a wide gap between actual legislation, the experience of gender violence victims that emerge from the implementation process and a lot of operational confusion at multiple levels.
It notes that commitment to addressing sexual and gender violence has advanced more quickly in policy documents than in practice.
"There is also evidence that inaction and inadequate response by public authorities mandated to respond to GBV has continued to complicate survivors' ability to access services and justice," the draft states.
Further, health infrastructure in lower-level health facilities where bulk cases of gender violence are recorded is poor, lacking basic facilities and equipment and suffers a shortage of trained staff.
"Due to this lack of capacity, case management it is still very poor in the lower level health facilities, thus compromising their ability to offer quality services to survivors."
The policy also addresses challenges limiting implementation, which include biased socio-cultural attitudes, beliefs and behaviours in society that perpetuate negative stereotypes and gender inequality.
Others are dismissing gender violence experienced by men, limited-service accessibility, limited resources, legal illiteracy and lack of awareness, inadequate political will and poor data collection, and record-keeping.
Solutions
During the launch, Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi praised stakeholders for their support in addressing gender violence in the county and the whole country.
"I have committed my support in the fight against any gender-based violence in our country so we can create a conducive environment for everyone to live in," he said.
To curb gender violence, the county government has vowed to develop a sexual and gender violence prevention environment, an anti-sexual harassment policy at the workplace and reduce the vulnerability of groups at risk of sexual violence.
To promote rapid response, the county government will increase access to quality and comprehensive response and support services across sectors, facilitate the establishment and strengthening of existing safe houses, and improve accountability for sexual and gender violence.
It will also develop coordination, monitoring systems, and data collection coordination and monitoring systems to address the gaps in prevention and response.
Edited by R.Wamochie
