•Reparation is the repair of our lives through survivor-centric and co-created approaches.
•Interim Reparation programs are integral for recovery.
Dear H.E. Dr. William Samoei Ruto, CGH. President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-In-Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces
Your Excellency, we use this time of the 16 Days of Activism to highlight our plight as survivors of sexual violence from the Post-Election Violence of 2007/2008.
We seek reparations for sexual violence meted out on our bodies with results ranging from medical conditions, disabilities, HIV infection and children born from the violation.
Our presence in reports is a testament to this fact. However, there have not been interventions to mitigate the harm suffered over this 14-year period since the violation, despite our public and private appeals.
Your Excellency, we take this opportunity to share once again that we are still crying out for justice through reparations.
Reparation is the repair of our lives through survivor-centric and co-created approaches.
Justice bears different meanings and therefore our needs require to be met uniquely based on our situations.
Survivors have children, fistula, disabilities, medical conditions, HIV infection, pelvic diseases, mental health conditions, and children born of the violations.
We have endured stigma, ridicule, disbelief, rejection, and ostracized from our families and communities. The children are called accursed, tagged, used and abused. If it wasn’t for the resilience of their mothers, many would have been lost.
Your Excellency, as mothers and children, this has been our life for 14 years, presenting petitions and pleas to parliament, the senate and the attorney general.
Where do we go for justice? Who shields and defends us? Interim Reparation programs are integral for recovery.
It’s a package of medical, psychosocial, economic and financial measures to support the holistic recovery of the whole survivor before long-term strategic interventions are implemented.
This recovery starts from the home to the communities, to the country.
Stigma remains a reality for us. During these 16 days, we kindly request your attention to the commitments made at the Generation Equality Forum for a survivors’ kitty, and the revival of the Sh10 billion justice restoration fund.
Your Excellency, this kitty will take care of our need for recognition, rehabilitation, compensation, accountability and satisfaction that this shall never happen again.
These 16 Days of Activism, we as survivors of sexual violence from the 2007/2008 conflict, are humbly requesting for recognition of our needs and support for full recovery.
Thank you Sir!
Truly Grace Agenda on behalf of, Survivors of Sexual Violence from the 2007/2008 post-elections conflict.
Shikoh Kihika, Founder and Executive Director, Tribelessyouth.
