•There was a rise in family-based crimes, offences and violations last year partly due to the circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic.
•A study by the National Research and Crime Centre (NCRC) revealed that there is a sustained prevalence and escalating trend of physical violence within the family set up orchestrated majorly by the male figure.
The government has plans to invest Sh 2.3 Billion towards prevention of gender based violence, president Uhuru Kenyatta has said.
Speaking during the virtual launch of the Kenyan chapter of Generation Equality Forum at State House, Nairobi, Uhuru said the funding will be increased to Sh5 billion.
He further enumerated various initiatives the Government had put in place to ensure gender equity.
“When countries respect women rights, promote gender equality, and put women and girls at the centre of their development agenda, their societies and economies thrive, and those benefits extend far into future generations," he said.
He said women are the pillar upon which society leans adding that they are drivers of family health and welfare.
Further, the Head of State said the Government would ratify and implement the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 190 on eliminating Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and harassment in the workplace by 2026.
He said the Government would conduct a survey on GBV under the 2022 Kenya Demographic Health Survey in addition to developing a system for managing the vice.
The President further noted that GBV including medical, legal, and psychological support services would be integrated into the essential minimum package of UHC by 2022.
He said GBV survivors’ fund will be established in partnership with the private sector, civil society and other stakeholders for survivor’s economic empowerment.
While acknowledging the global nature of FGM affecting more than 200 million women, President Kenyatta enumerated achievements made towards tackling the vice in the country among them setting up an aggressive media campaign to end FGM in 22 counties with high prevalence.
“We have allocated USD 2 million (Shs 200 million) for the implementation of an inter-agency programme on the prevention and response to GBV.
"Equally important to highlight is that cultural and religious leaders from the Borana, Samburu, and Pokot communities have made bold public declarations, to eliminate FGM and child marriage. This includes the 'Kisima declaration; which I witnessed in Samburu in March of this year,” he said.
There was a rise in family-based crimes, offences and violations last year partly due to the circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic.
A study by the National Research and Crime Centre (NCRC) revealed that there is a sustained prevalence and escalating trend of physical violence within the family set up orchestrated majorly by the male figure.
“There is likelihood of post Covid-19 period confounding the forms of family-based crimes and violations in the country because of the uncertainties and unpredictability of the pandemic,” the report states.
The study revealed that the number of gender-based violence cases recorded between January and June last year increased to 2,032 from 1,057 cases reported the previous year, an increase of 92.2 percent.
The study identifies the youth especially those faced with stresses of poverty and unemployment as the main perpetrators of family-based violence.
The most common forms of Gender Based Violence (GBV) reported were assault (1,615 cases), rape and attempted rape (223), murder (131), indecent assault (63). Other forms included child neglect and early marriages.
About 71 percent of the 2,416 cases of GBV reported between January and June last year were female victims and the main perpetrators were identified as youthful males aged between 18 and 33 years who are in family or intimate partner relationships.