GBV, femicide team must seek out community voice

The appointment of a taskforce by President William Ruto to come up with a comprehensive, structured, sustainable and inclusive solution to the runaway femicide and gender-based violence (GBV) is timely.

It has placed the country on a path to dealing with one of the biggest challenges, which has shattered families and threatened to shred the social fabric of our nation.

While the criminal justice system has been dealing with the aftermath of femicide and other forms of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), these heinous acts have permeated all segments and sectors of our society, complicating the decisive resolution of the underlying issues.

Safeguard sanctity of the family

There has been an outcry, calling on authorities to intervene. Additionally, civil society organisations, led by women rights groups, have been making frantic interventions. Some of these initiatives are in collaboration with government agencies. But the failure to check and contain GBV and femicide is largely attributed to segmented efforts.

The Technical Working Group on Gender-Based Violence Including Femicide, headed by former Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza, is expected to consolidate and funnel the work of the various actors into a common approach. If we have to safeguard the sanctity of the family — the core building block of our nationhood — the team has to beyond a review of legal, policy and regulative frameworks.

The taskforce has to extensively involve the community as a key component of sustainably addressing GBV and femicide, and all other related forms of violence.

At the same time, igniting a community-led national conversation will give impetus to the various State and non-State strategies. Members of communities — by virtue of the close-knit nature — know the families predisposed to GBV mostly in form of domestic violence involving intimate partners, incest, and other forms of abuse and beastly acts.

Decelerate GBV and femicide

In addition, Dr Baraza’s team has to also involve the National Government Administration Officers, particularly at the grassroots, to enrich the solutions to resolving and ending femicide and other forms of GBV.

These officers are not only the first responders, but they are also well experienced based on their day-to-day interaction with community members. Besides, they are critical in mobilising the public in participating and articulating salient issues.

The 42 member working group–which reports to Deputy President Kithure Kindiki—will need to exhaustively consult and deliver on the 10-point mandate. 

This bold and timely step must be a turning point that will enable us to comprehensively and sustainably decelerate GBV and femicide through a community-centred approach, supported by solid legal policy and regulatory framework. We must create, together, a community where the family thrives.

Ms Rugene, a strategic communication professional, is the founder, The Woman’s Newsroom Foundation. [email protected]. @nrugene