Six months later: The disappearing act of flagship anti-GBV campaign
President’s Advisor of Women Rights Harriette Chiggai at a function with widows in Nandi County on December 15, 2024. Her office, announced a bold three-year plan to fight gender violence in the country. Women in high-risk areas have seen nothing of it. The campaign's online presence has vanished.
What you need to know:
- The government launched "Safe Homes, Safe Spaces," a three-year initiative against GBV in December 2024, to protect women and girls, and engage boda boda riders as change agents.
- Despite these promises, the campaign shows no visible presence in vulnerable areas.
- Online, the campaign has been silent since December 25, with no updates on its website .
At a recent forum of anti-gender-based violence (GBV) activists in Nairobi, one participant raised a crucial point: “There was this campaign launched by Women’s Rights to fight GBV, who knows who it has reached? I haven’t seen it in Mathare, where I come from, yet this is where most women and girls are suffering.”
On December 9, 2024, at Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega County, the Office of the Women’s Rights Advisor (WRA) to the President, launched a three-year initiative called Safe Homes, Safe Spaces (SHSS) as reported by the government portal mygov.go.ke.
A written response to our inquiry on the status of the campaign shared by Harriette Chiggai, the WRA, stated that the initiative aims to ensure that women and girls can live free from GBV in all aspects of their lives.
“From homes to schools, workplaces, roads, training camps, transport systems, and even the hidden corners of society, women and girls should be safe,” the response reads.
Boda boda riders
The statement goes on to explain: “The initiative aims to raise awareness about the violence that women and girls endure. It also advocates for a shift in social behaviours from violence to protection as a prevention strategy for GBV.”
The response highlights that engaging boda boda riders as key change agents in the fight against GBV has been a significant milestone thus far.
Although the exact locations of these engagements weren’t specified, it suggests that Kakamega is among the places where these activities have taken place.
“The journey began with the official launch of the SHSS initiative in Kakamega by the Prime Cabinet Secretary and the CS for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs. The day was marked by legal and road safety sensitisation, SHA registration to ensure medical coverage for the riders, and the provision of helmets, among other major activities. The event also included listening to the community’s voices on what they believed to be contextualised solutions to their problems,” the response states.
Further, it adds: “Since the launch, and with ongoing engagements, boda boda leaders and riders have embraced the initiative, positioning themselves as community safety champions and change agents. They have committed to educating their members on GBV prevention and response, as part of the broader conversation beyond transport services.”
However, checks on the WRA website show no recent updates on the campaign.
Christmas card
The campaign's X account, which primarily features the WRA, has not posted since December 25, 2024, when it shared her Christmas card message. The account links to a website that offers limited information, mostly vague and unverified quotes under a section titled Stories of Hope.
A general search using the hashtag #SafeHomesSafeSpaces primarily returns updates from the December 2024 event, with posts mostly from a single account, indicating an influencer for the campaign who has not posted the updates.
“The Safe Homes, Safe Spaces initiative is not just a project, it is a long-term initiative that will continue to evolve through strategic partnerships, grassroots engagement, and the commitment of boda boda riders, community leaders, the people themselves, and institutions,” the response concludes.