Victims of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Kakamega will have safe houses to shelter them if a bill before the county assembly is passed into law.
The safe houses and shelters shall offer temporary stay for the victims, the bill states.
Case management services which include psychosocial and legal support as well as follow up care will be offered in the safe houses to ensure access to justice.
This was revealed during the county assembly public participation forum at Kakamega social hall on Friday.
“Safe houses and shelters will ensure the best possible security and protection for the victims and provide services that are holistic, inter-sectorial delivered by appropriate multi-disciplinary team,” the bill partly reads.
Further, in the safe houses, the victims shall receive economic, vocational and self defence skills training and other necessary skills to lead independent and dignified lives when they leave shelters.
The Kakamega County Sexual and Gender Based Violence Control and Management Bill 2023 seeks to provide a framework for the promotion of public awareness on causes, impact and consequences of SGBV and proposes means of prevention of same and protection for those subjected to SGBV in the county.
Section 16(1) of the proposed Bill also commits the county government to ensure progressive access to healthcare services of the highest attainable standard of health to SGBV victims.
“Subject to subsection (1) healthcare service provision to Sexual violence victims shall be at no cost,” reads the bill before the assembly health service committee.
Section 16(3) of the Bill proposes a one-year imprisonment or Sh100,000 fine or both on conviction for any person who contravenes the provisions on access to healthcare by the victims.
Part IV of the Bill establishes a 13-member Sexual and Gender Based Violence control and management committee to be chaired by the county health executive.
The committee shall consist of the county executive for gender, county commissioner, County attorney’s representative among others.
The committee will co-ordinate and oversee of all SGBV activities in the county, mobile resources, advice the executive on matters related to SGBV and facilitate training on the same in the 12 subcounties.
The committee shall also develop a county action plan for prevention and response within one year of establishment, undertake and promote research on SGBV, prepare and submit reports on a quarterly basis to the county assembly on the status of SGBV interventions and be responsible for data collection among other functions.
“The county government shall in collaboration with other stakeholders progressively establish and operationalise safe houses and shelters,” reads the Bill.
“The county government shall in line with the Witness Protection Act 2006, facilitate and collaborate with the relevant stakeholders to ensure SGBV victims and witnesses are protected,” it reads.
The Bill prohibits any employee of the county government or any other person who accesses information from the county government on SGBV victims and witnesses from disclosing such information to a third party.
“Any person who contravenes the provisions of this section shall after conviction be liable to imprisonment for a term of two years or a fine not exceeding Kenya Shillings one million or both,” the Bill reads.
