- In the statement read by over 50 women, they demanded the establishment of a Commission on the Elimination of Femicide and Violence Against Women and Girls.
- With this, they said the Terms of Reference shall include the development of a National Plan of Action for the elimination of Violence against women and Femicide.
Image: NANCY AGUTU
Women activists have demanded that the president should declare Femicide a national crisis that needs to be dealt with effectively.
Speaking during a breakfast meeting at the Canadian Embassy, the team led by Akili Dada said a Presidential Declaration of Violence Against Women and Femicide as a national crisis is a must.
“This declaration should require an emergency response, and reports on measures taken to address both issues on an annual basis as part of the constitutionally mandated State of the Nation address,” the women activists said.
In the statement read by over 50 women, they demanded the establishment of a Commission on the Elimination of Femicide and Violence Against Women and Girls.
With this, they said the Terms of Reference shall include the development of a National Plan of Action for the elimination of Violence against women and Femicide.
The Commission shall be composed of national, African and international feminists, and its composition shall be 60 per cent women and 40 per cent men.
They also called on the government to comply with the two thirds gender rule.
Article 27(8) of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 provides that the State there should not be more than two-thirds of either gender in any elective or appointive position.
“We demand the enactment of legislation implementing the Two-Thirds Gender Principle within the next twelve (12) months,” the women said.
The demand was endorsed by 54 organisations.
Another demand was for the government to adopt the Human Rights Approach in femicide and adopt the UN data collection framework on femicide to design evidence-based solutions.
“We demand the return of the State Department of Gender and the restoration of the name of the Ministry to “Ministry of Public Service, Gender and Affirmative Action,” the statement read.
The women also demanded an increase in the allocation of funds and personnel to the State Department of Gender to support the monitoring of government commitments.
“We demand an inclusive and participatory process in the appointment of women to public positions,” the statement read.
During the meeting, activist Editah Ochieng said if women wait to be attacked, it would be too late.
“We should build a support system to these women so that they feel safe. If we cannot give them a shelter then we are doing badly as a country,” Ochieng said.
“We need to create programmes based on the untold stories that we have.”
She said women should be given an opportunity to express themselves without fear or favour.
“We need to talk about issues deeper and deeper. Many girls are having anal sex and they do not know why women are being killed. We are killed because we identify as women,” she said.
Another SGBV survivor said parents should bring up children in a safer environment.
“As a child, I grew up in violent home. You need to believe in your children. When bringing up children, what’s you intention? she asked.
She said parents should show up for their children adding that children deserve protection.
“I wasn’t chosen when I was growing up. Your child deserves your protection. If you do not protect them, men will come out here to protect the women and defile them as they want,” she said.
“We have cases of children who when they go through violence, the parents saying they do not want to continue with the case.”
The event was honoring and celebrating activists and young women human rights defenders who continue to speak up and stand up for women.