Passaris to establish safe house for children survivors of SGBV

Nairobi Woman's Representative Esther Passaris has promised to work on a safe house for children survivors of sexual gender-based violence.

Passaris said, although resources are limited, the priority is children's safety and healing.

She was speaking outside Parliament buildings after receiving a petition from children's rights groups in Nairobi.

"We will establish a safe house for children survivors within the days of the 16 days of activism on violence against women which begins on November 25," she said.

The groups were part of a peaceful procession from the Jeevanjee Gardens to Parliament, commemorating the World Day for Prevention, Healing and Justice to end Childhood Sexual Violence.

"Although resources are limited, we need to make sure that these cycles of abuse are broken and children are kept safe in our communities," she said.

She assured the groups that their petition would reach the floor of the National Assembly and be discussed.

Roselyn Mkabana, the Nairobi county GBV coordinator, presented the petition on behalf of the groups.

Earlier on, they had passed through City Hall to drop off a similar petition to MCAs.

She said Nairobi is leading in the cases of defilement in the country.

"We also lead in the number of teenage pregnancies across the country," she said.

To completely end the scourge of defilement, Mkabana said that more resources need to be mobilised.

"Prevention and response mechanisms need to be put in place so that we can make Nairobi work," she said.