UK's Marriott meets GBV survivors in Coast to celebrate Women's day

The British High Commissioner to Kenya, Jane Marriott, marked International Women’s Day by meetings survivors of Gender-Based Violence.

To mark the day, the High Commissioner took part in a series of events and visited projects supported by the UK which are promoting gender equality in the region and across Kenya.

Marriott, the British High Commissioner to Kenya, said it was a privilege to meet different groups of women who have chosen to challenge the status quo by speaking up against violence and promoting peace in their communities.

“The UK is honoured to support and recognise inspirational women like Sadia Hussein, who has campaigned tirelessly against FGM, or Dorothy Mutuku, for her amazing work promoting intercommunal relations with the police," she said.

 "We recognise and congratulate these wonderful women on International Women’s Day, a chance to celebrate those women who deserve our recognition and gratitude all year round.”

On the second day of her visit to the Coastal region, the High Commissioner will learn more about efforts to improve police-community relations, supported by the REINVENT programme, at Kijipwa police station, in Kilifi County. She will hear about the impact of women’s leadership when meeting with the station’s OCS, Victoria Mutuku.

 She will also hear from some community members from Chasimba ward on how collaboration with the police has helped minimise crime in the area, and take part in a training on stress and trauma management for criminal justice institutions that work with violent extremists and terrorist offenders.

 The programme also demonstrated the breadth and depth of the UK and Kenya’s partnership at the Coast with a visit to Malindi Solar power plant.

The project is being developed by UK company Globaleq and backed bySh 4.3 billion of UK Government investment via CDC, the UK’s Development Finance Institution.

This project is one example of the UK-Kenya partnership on climate change: it will provide 52MW of reliable, clean energy capacity, and allow a transition away from energy currently generated in the coastal region by burning heavy fuel oil.

Finally, the visit will culminate with the launch of the Malindi Social Justice Centre.

The centre is aimed at sensitising the public on human rights, giving them the confidence to speak openly on any violations and interact with the justice system.