Sounding death knell on gender violence in Kenya

There is an abhorrent rise in cases of gender-based domestic violence in Kenya that must be brought to a stop as urgently as is humanly and humanely possible.

Previously a silent epidemic, generation after generation, domestic gender-based violence is now making screaming headlines in Kenya and around the world, as personified in the appalling case of Jackline Mwende Ngila of Masii, wife of Stephen Ngila.

Mr Ngila allegedly chopped off Mrs Ngila's hands and injured her in the head because the couple is childless after several years of marriage.

This deeply disturbing case, which is now in the hands of the police, the courts and doctors and nurses, is but the latest in a distressingly increasing number of incidents of domestic gender-based violence.

There are horrific injuries being inflicted in this violence on both women and men, both physical and psychological. This violence also often results in murder.

As we are aware, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is one of the most pervasive human rights violations of our time. In our country, it is endemic with violence against women and girls worryingly high.

The Kenya Demographic Health Survey of 2014 found that 40 per cent of women aged 15-49 and who had once been married, had experienced either physical or sexual violence at the hands of their partner or spouse.

GBV undermines health, dignity, security and autonomy of its victims, yet it remains shrouded in a culture of silence. Victims of violence often suffer sexual and reproductive health consequences including forced and unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, traumatic fistula and sexually transmitted infections.

The negative consequences of GBV require a supportive environment that provides coping mechanisms for survivors and their families as well as rehabilitation and reintegration of perpetrators into the community.

I want to challenge women and men in leadership positions to step up to the challenge. Your words are important, but ultimately, only your actions count to create awareness against a vice that is eating up our society.

We are unequivocal about the need to focus more on the root causes of GBV, which are found in gender-based power inequalities and gender-based discrimination.

GBV is a global phenomenon that erupts on a daily basis everywhere in the world.

As a society and as communities, Kenyans need to do much more than is the case at the moment to prevent GBV and, where it erupts without forewarning, to ensure justice for the victim/survivor and to punish the perpetrator so comprehensively that he or she will never be a repeat offender. But this is much easier said than done.

Kenyans must change their attitudes and norms towards gender-based domestic violence. It is never right to beat your spouse and children.

It is anything but manly to batter your family, whatever the provocation, real or imagined. Kenyan men's negative attitudes and behaviours towards women and children need to undergo a sea change.

Scholars and journalists everywhere are of immeasurable importance when it comes to lifting the veils of silence and taboo on the issue of gender-based violence.

On our part, the government has opened Rescue Centres in various parts of the country, which epitomises the great strides the country has taken to significantly address issues of SGBV and its determination to address inequalities as envisaged in Vision 2030, by ensuring that no one is left behind.

It is the process of providing integrated GBV services across the country to improve service delivery to the GBV survivors by establishing Gender-Based Violence Recovery Centres in the largest public hospitals in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Kisumu and Eldoret and Gender desks at almost all police stations.

I would like to remind Kenyans that the Government's Medium-Term Plan II has prioritised GBV as a key gender issue.

The country has a progressive set of laws that have been passed to deal with GBV cases including the Constitution 2010. It is also a signatory to a number of international and regional conventions and treaties that impact on GBV.

As a Government, our efforts on issues of promoting gender have been commendable.

Kenya was recently honoured by the rest of Africa, winning the African Gender Awards 2016 in gender mainstreaming.

The country received the awards in the areas of Social Rights and Political and Civil Rights efforts in advancing Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment during the recent 27th Ordinary Summit of the African Union Heads of State and Government held in Kigali, Rwanda.

The condemnation and criminalisation of gender-based violence against women and children must be so resolute that these crimes attract the greatest social pressure and those culpable receive the most deterrent penalties.