CS Kobia leads Kenya in commitment to end Gender-based Violence by 2030

 

The Cabinet Secretary of Public Service, Youth, and Gender Prof. Margaret Kobia addressing attendees at the ICPD25 at KICC, Nairobi, on November 13, 2019. [David Gichuru, Standard]

Kenya is headed towards eliminating Gender-Based Violence in the society, the Cabinet Secretary to the Ministry of Youth and Gender Prof. Margaret Kobia has said.

Speaking during the second day of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD25) at KICC, Nairobi, Prof Kobia said that Kenya is at the rim of ending domestic violence.

Kobia pointed to the legal milestones the country has achieved in eradicating the vice, since the 1994 inception of the ICPD in Cairo, Egypt.

 “Some of these morals and instruments include Sexual Organizing Act of 2006, The Counter-Trafficking act 2011, Child Act of 2001, Prevention against violence act 2015, and Eradication of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) act 2011,” she said.

“The government of Kenya has adopted a multifaceted approach to eradicate Gender-Based-Violence and we are committed to addressing the root causes of gender inequality through the strengthening of legal framework, formulation of relevant policies and the implementation of effectors program. “she added.

The session on GVB featured heads of states and other leaders among them the Associate Minister for Social Development Government of New Zealand Poto Williams, President and CEO of Population Services International Amb Karl Hofmann, Founder-President of The Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA) Toyin Saraki , and  the Founder and President of Kakenya’s Dream Dr. Kakenya Ntaiya among more.

The PSI boss Karl Hofmann crowned his speech by calling on World Marathon champions Eliud Kipchoge and Bridgit Kosgei to join hands in ending the vice.

“We are in Kenya, the land of long distant runners. On the fight against gender-based violence — we must persevere. We choose to persevere. And we will persevere.”

“It is not for me to empower a woman. Women are powerful, but society posts a barrier to their examining power.  We must have strategic optimism,” he added.

The facilitated dialogue explored what made each of the panelist’s leader, resilience, determination, commitment to justice.

 On the other hand, Mrs Williams emphasised the importance of integrating what is taught in school close to home. 

“We need to have a vision of what we want to achieve look like. Until we address the trauma that our children thrive in, we will not have done anything, “she said.

Part of the discussion was also on the importance of partnerships between men and women, government, institutions, societies, and private sectors to achieve the ICPD agenda.

“We continue to build strategic partnerships with the United Nations, development partners, civil societies organizations, research institutions, academia and the private sector that will ensure that we achieve zero Gender-Based-Violence by the year 2030 as spelled out in the Sustainable Development Goals,” said CS Kobia.

They said there is need to empower women with disabilities, making leaders accountable for what they say, and working to reduce FGM and early marriages among others.