•However, we have been dealing with another pandemic that threatens to wipe out the children and adolescents in this country.
•Maisha Girls Safehouse is a shelter that provides care and support to girls victims of sexual violence.
Your Excellency, we appreciate your efforts in trying to curb the rampant effects of Covid-19, a pandemic that had catastrophic consequences.
However, we have been dealing with another pandemic that threatens to wipe out the children and adolescents in this country.
Over the years, we have rescued over 500 girls who have called our shelter home.
We have closed our doors to countless numbers of girls as we can only take in a given number at a time.
This just speaks of the magnitude of sexual violence against children in our country.
In 2020, COVID-19 hit and with it came another pandemic; teenage pregnancies and a rise in defilement cases.
Your Excellency, the effects of these are still being felt; children are raising children, children are healing from the traumatic experiences they went through, families are recovering from the hard economic effects and so much more.
In our line of work, we have experienced the highs and lows of supporting survivors of sexual violence.
Lack of full implementation of the existing sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) policy on national prevention and response, Few shelters and safe houses have been established which cannot meet the demand, Limited coordination of stakeholders working on SGBV prevention and response, The health, security and justice sectors have limited capacity and resources to effectively respond to SGBV and implement anti-SGBV programs, and lastly Inadequate enforcement of legislation to curb SGBV due to lack of full implementation of the existing SGBV policy.
Your Excellency, at this time, SGBV cases are on the increase not only in the capital city but the whole country, the establishment of the safe house by the government will offer refuge to the victims, who in most cases find themselves staying or facing their perpetrators.
The lack of a safe house for victims, means they face the danger of repeat violations over and above the trauma they have faced. We recognize the efforts of private and public sectors on matters SGBV.
The government’s efforts in establishing the POLICARE support centres have been a tremendous move. We would like to however urge that your government;
- Increase the number of POLICARE support centres and ensure that all counties have a one-stop Centre for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
- Strengthen the capacity of institutions and service providers handling SGBV across the health and social sectors and the criminal justice system this is also by Ensuring that officials at the policare centres are well-trained on matters of SGBV and trauma-informed so that they can give effective support to the survivors.
- Ensure the policare centres are well funded and equipped to respond to and support sexual and gender-based violence cases.
- Promote the development of shelters, safe houses, and rehabilitation and reintegration facilities for all survivors and also programs for the protection of SGBV service providers.
- Set up a government unit that focuses on the operations of safe houses.
- The Government to also recognize the existing safe houses that are already doing great work on SGBV and Channel resources and funds towards these safe houses to enhance their capacity in handling the survivors. More safe houses will also ensure that survivors are not lost in the service/care chain as all the service providers are present and properly linked for the benefit of survivors
- Ensure survivor centred mainstreaming in all policing functions and operations, especially in relation to the handling of SGBV victims.
- Put in place standards and mechanisms for debriefing/counselling service providers dealing with SGBV across all sectors.
- Fast-track dissemination and implementation of minimum standards for service delivery across sectors and enhance comprehensive care and support for survivors and their families in all government facilities (health, legal, social) including emergency situations.
Maisha Girls Safe House believes that our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
Maisha Girls Safehouse is a shelter that provides care and support to girls victims of sexual violence.