Advocates representing survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) will be receiving training on how to do it in a manner that lessens the trauma of the survivors.
This is because survivors of SGBV are often forced to re-live the trauma they went through during the abuse as they recount the incidences in court.
Additionally, being face-to-face with one’s perpetrator often causes more harm than good.
Crevit Mulier and Co, therefore, partnered with the Kenya Judiciary Academy to roll out a National Trauma-Informed Judiciary Training last week.
Lanji Ouko Awori, Founder and Managing Partner at Crevit Mulier, said the first-of-a-kind training would help advocates navigate the system, and design and conceptualise reforms with the contribution of survivors.
“We want the input of survivors and community approaches to counter-terrorism, human trafficking and other forms of gendered crimes,” she announced.
Already, the first training took place at the Shanzu SGBV Law Court last week, the first court in Kenya to set aside a specialised court for handling such cases.
“Over the next two years, our team will train the Kadhi’s Courts, High Courts, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court,” she added.
Blandina Ijecha Bobson, the Director of Programs at Oxfam who are also a partner in the training programme, said the initiative would contribute to ending Violence Against Women and girls.
“By strengthening Judiciary systems and structures, we will ensure that there is a survivor-centered approach in dispensing justice,” she said.
She expressed hope that the programme would set the country’s standards in the management of SGBV cases.
