WENDO: SGBV remains persistent barrier to gender equality

Sexual and gender-based violence is an omnipresent human rights violation and continues to be interminable and injurious to many people in Kenya and across the world.

It remains one of the most persistent barriers to gender equality and sustainable development.

SGBV is largely unreported due to impunity, silence and stigma. 

A few of the highlighted cases daily are traumatic and reflect the growing moral decadence in the society.

SGBV includes physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, and psychological abuse, threats, coercion, and denial of economic or educational rights, whether occurring in public or private life.

It remains a weighty human rights and public health issue and it is salient to identify the factors that lead to gender inequality, unequal power relations, gender discrimination and cultural norms which are the main contributors to SGBV.

Various reports and findings provide evidence from the grassroots on the link between GBV, teenage pregnancies and the high HIV prevalence among adolescents and young women aged 15-24 years.

Between January and February 2022 Kenya recorded 45,724 cases of teen pregnancies.

This situation is startling.

It is cardinal for stakeholders in the fight against GBV to review their policy application, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting mechanisms, to ensure access to justice for all SGBV survivors.

Currently, SGBV is regulated by several national and international laws, policies, guidelines and treaties but is minimally discussed with ease at country, county levels or among communities.

The government, national institutions, academia, private sector, civil society, media, and the general public, should stretch their efforts in the warfare against GBV.

This includes policy solutions, promoting and improving research and statistical data, and investing in medium and long-term prevention efforts to reduce and end violence against women and girls.

ILO Convention No. 190 is the first international treaty to recognise the right of everyone to a world of work, free from violence including gender-based violence and harassment.

The Convention was adopted in June 2019, by the International Labour Conference of the International Labour Organization, and came into force on 25 June 2021.

ILO C190 seeks to have in place new global standards aimed at ending violence and harassment in the world of work.

Governments that ratify C190 will be required to put in place the necessary laws and policy measures to prevent and address violence and harassment in the world of work.

There is a need for a holistic and inclusive approach to addressing GBV.

The Ministry of Health and other stakeholders should be at the forefront in championing evidence-based policy drafting, programming, and activism for improved and measurable impact, geared towards increasing the chances for detectable change and multi-sectoral action.

Media organisations and professionals should persistently lend their expertise across all areas of communication, to utilise media as a tool to reduce gender-based violence and make progress towards gender equality through clear strategic communication approaches.

As a nation, we should buttress the campaign against GBV as we head towards the August general election for a just and equitable society for the safety of all irrespective of gender, age, race, colour, ethnicity or religion.

Founder- Integrated Development Network

 

Edited by Kiilu Damaris