Does girl child's life mean nothing at all?

On April 9, 2019, boy child Naftali Kinuthia arrived at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital where girl child Ivy Kinuthia had just come from her practicals. Within no time, girl child Ivy’s lifeless body was lying on the tarmac, bleeding profusely following a brutal attack by boy child Naftali.

The public who witnessed the incident unleashed their wrath on the boy child and beat him up. His life was saved by the police, who arrived in the nick of time. Naftali was arrested and taken to hospital first for medication before being charged in court for Ivy's murder.

A few days later, Ivy's mother refused to accept apologies from Naftali's father—clearly communicating the anger and distress caused to women by men.

Fast forward to April 14, 2019, girl child Naomi Chepkemboi received a rude shock after she was stabbed several times in the neck allegedly by her ex-boyfriend, who had travelled all the way from Nairobi to execute this gruesome attack. Naomi was rushed to hospital while the ex was arrested.

On following up the matter, Haki Africa received information from Pwani University students’ president Fikirini Jacob that the attack happened in Naomi's hostel room. According to Fikirini, the reason for the attack was Naomi’s decision to return Sh3,200 to Henry. The university and the entire student association is still coming to terms with the attack as Naomi recuperates in hospital, where she is said to be in stable condition.

Meanwhile, in Nyeri county on April 15, 2019, 25-year-old girl child Mary Wangui, a mother of two, met an untimely death when she was attacked and stabbed in the neck by her estranged husband, boy child David Karuru.

According to Mary’s friend Catherine Karimi, David sneaked into the house around 1am and attacked Naomi, leaving her bleeding. According to the mother, Jane Wachira, Naomi had received death threats from the husband following constant wrangles between the couple. The mother has called for justice for her daughter.

The above are but three reported cases of extreme violence against the girl child in a span of less than a week. They are indications of the ever-present dangers faced by the girl child. Violence against women and girls has unfortunately now become a common occurrence.

Why is the boy child targeting and causing not just grievance harm but death to the girl child? Is rejected love a reason to harm and kill the girl child? Is the life of the girl child worthless to warrant execution after a quarrel? Does financial and/or economic disputes justify taking a woman’s life?

Article 26 of the 2010 Constitution states that “Every person has the right to life, the life of a person begins at inception, a person shall not be deprived of life intentionally, except to the extent authorised by this Constitution or other written law”. It is therefore evident from the Constitution that not only does the girl child have the right to life but also to have that right respected and protected.

The violence against the girl child that has been witnessed in the last few days is a symptom of our society’s rotten morals and beliefs. It is evidence of how the boy child has been glorified and made to believe that the girl child is worthless and undeserving of life.

For a boy child to get to the extent of ending a girl child’s life, shows total disrespect for a fellow human and disregard of her life and reason to co-exist. There is no justification whatsoever for girl child to be treated in this manner. The state must work round the clock through its security agencies to ensure the sanctity of the girl child’s life is respected.

For boy children who think that they can end a girl child’s life at will, your days are numbered. The law will catch up with you and you will end up in the doldrums of prison. For the girl child, stand up and fight for your rights. You are more than deserving of life—you are the mother of life.

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