Red flag over rising attacks on women rights defenders
Protest against the killing of Gender activist Elizabeth Ibrahim Ekaru, in Nairobi on January 11, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Defenders Coalition condemns Elizabeth Ibrahim Ekaru’s murder in Isiolo on January 3, 2022.
- The mother of five was stabbed to death at Kambi Garba allegedly over a land dispute
Human rights organisations have raised the alarm over the rising execution of women rights defenders in Kenya.
Under the umbrella of Defenders Coalition, a body working for the protection of human rights defenders in Kenya, they have condemned the killing of Elizabeth Ibrahim Ekaru, who was murdered in Isiolo on January 3, 2022.
The mother of five was stabbed to death at Kambi Garba allegedly over a land dispute. The incident coincidentally occurred within the same area where her husband and son were killed 11 years ago following ethnic clashes that left 10 people dead and over 20 houses torched.
Barbaric act
The Defenders Coalition, in a statement, termed Elizabeth’s murder barbaric and brings to the fore the pervasive nature of violence against women and girls. A suspect was arraigned for the murder.
“Her killing while defending land rights, is a true testimony of the risks, challenges and attacks that women human rights defenders continue facing in the line of their work,” read the statement.
Elizabeth war recognised several times, including being the recipient of the Head of State Commendation award for her courage and role at the forefront of defending human rights.
She was also part of the National Network of Women Human Rights Defenders, which is convened by the Defenders Coalition, which also protested against the murder of woman human rights defender and environmentalist Joannah Stunchbury.
Stunchbury was killed in July last year for allegedly standing up against environmental injustice in Kiambu forest. She had opposed attempts by powerful local businessmen to build in the forest, and had received death threats.
“The government, through the Office of the President and Director of Criminal Investigations, promised speedy investigations and conclusion of the matter to ensure action is taken against the perpetrators. Worryingly, there has not been a single arrest related to the killing of Stunchbury and the persons responsible for her death are still walking free,” the statement added.
The attack of two women environmental activists in August last year from the Owino Uhuru area of Mombasa in the Coast region when pursuing justice for residents and victims of environmental pollution also featured in the statement by the organisations.
They termed the cases classic examples of the price that women rights defenders have to pay for protecting human rights and advancing the social, economic, cultural and political rights.
Culprits
The organisations have want the perpetrators brought to book. They also want the President’s office together with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry to publicly condemn and declare the murder of women human rights defenders alarming and consider the issue a crisis.
The Attorney General has also been challenged to fast-track the review and adoption of the Human Rights Defenders Policy, a tool designed to give guidance of the work of not only women human rights defenders but all human rights defenders and their protection by the State.
According to Front Line Defenders, at least 331 human rights defenders promoting social, environmental, racial and gender justice in 25 countries were murdered in 2020. The advocacy group added that scores more were beaten, detained and criminalised because of their work.
