Women MPs should listen widely on efforts to stop gender violence

Human rights activists in match against rising femicide cases in the country, in this photo taken on Saturday 27, 2024.[Collins Oduor, Standard]

New statistics released this week demonstrate violence remains a major threat to safety and dignity of nearly 29 million Kenyan women and girls. Despite creation of a large taskforce and recent President Ruto's Sh100 million directive, the campaign against femicide needs a change of direction to effectively address this pressing national challenge.

According to ODIPODEV and Africa Uncensored, 170 women were murdered in 2024. This is nearly double those killed in 2023 and more than five times the number killed in 2016. The rising number of incidences of stabbing and hacking to death of primarily young women is a disturbing new trend. Nairobi, Kiambu and Nakuru are the most dangerous counties while increasingly trends are rising in Kisii, Kitui, Meru and Nyeri.