Author: Munira Ali Omar-Program Officer, Land & Urban Development In recent years, numerous infrastructure projects have been initiated across the country, often sparking conflicts due to competing and conflicting interests. Take, for example, a cemetery without a perimeter wall used…
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is an annual campaign that begins on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs through International Human Rights Day on 10 December.
Legal aid clinic for survivors of SGBV at Bamba Police Station during 16 Days of Activism 2022
The meaning and extend of SGBV
Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) especially against women and children remains the most pervasive human rights violation globally. This violence undermines a person’s sense of self-worth and self-esteem. It affects not only physical health but also mental health and may lead to self-harm, isolation, depression and suicide.
The Coastal Counties of Kenya are one of the most affected regions when it comes to SGBV. According to statistics gathered by Mombasa County Gender Based Violence Mental Health Programme, SGBV cases have increased from 1,865 recorded last year to 4,477 cases reported as of June 2022. This goes to show that SGBV is a major thorn in all the Coastal Counties and that there is a lot of work to be done.
We spend many of our waking hours and adult lives at work. Many factors influence the mental health of employees at the office. Workplace issues including poor communication, management practices, limited participation in decision-making, long or inflexible working hours and lack of team cohesion may cause a significant tumble in the wellbeing of employees at the expense of their mental health. Working environments where rapid, life-saving decisions need to be made, or where staff are frontline workers handling cases of traumatized victims come with their own psychological and emotional challenges.
Community participation is a principal that is enshrined in the Kenyan constitution. Yet many Kenyans do not even know about their right to participate or how they can actually make use of that right. Local public offices have a duty to ensure that decisions regarding the use of public funds are the result of transparent, effective and ethical processes which adhere to the law and stand up to scrutiny by the Kenyan public.
An invitation to talk about child protection is always a great opportunity and we at Haki Yetu, Gender and law were excited to visit Kikambala Catholic Church that fateful day in 2019. Little did we know that the visit would be the beginning of a 3-year journey to justice for a 12-year-old girl.
Aisha Lewa (not her real name) 14 years old a girl from Goshi constituency, Kilifi county was defiled by an uncle living in her family’s home. The ordeal began when she was 12 years old just at the time when the uncle was taken in by her parents for college enrollment. Aisha did not know whom to confide to as the young man was loved and trusted and was part of the family. She lived with the pain for two years until she could not take it anymore and reported the case to her class teacher whom reported the same to the village chief and together filed the report to the Malindi police station.