BY ALBERT NYAKUNDI
The government is focused on fighting sexual and gender-based violence, Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs CS Professor Margaret Kobia has said.
She spoke on Saturday during the launch of a report on Sexual and Gender Based Violence by the Professional Criminologists Association of Kenya,PCAK.
The report is titled, “Trapped Within A Lockdown: Understanding SGBV During the Covid -19 Period.”
The ceremony was held in Nairobi at the PCEA church headquarters.
The CS was the chief guest.
Deputy Inspector General of police Edward Mbugua attended.
Kobia said the government is concerned with high cases of sexual and gender-based violence.
“It is for this reason that President Uhuru Kenyatta directed the National Crime Research Centre to probe the escalating cases of SGBV.” she said.
The PCAK research was conducted by the Directorate of Research, Training and Publication led by Dr Kirimi Arimi.
Edwin Agasa, a lecturer in Criminology was the lead researcher who incorporated the PCAK-Youth Envoys.
Youth Envoys are College and University students as well as fresh graduates which the Association endeavors to mentor.
“We believe in empowering the youth. We have an obligation in empowering the youth as senior members of the society.” said lawyer Gitobu Imanyara.
He is the association’s legal counsel.
PCAK is a professional body that is mandated to vet and register all practitioners in the criminal Justice system while ensuring professionalism.
On July 6, the president gave the National Crime Research Centre 30 days to file a report on the reasons for the rising cases of sexual and gender-based violence particularly among school children.
The agency is expected to come up with a solution to curb the menace including prosecution of perpetrators.
Kobia said her ministry will forward the research on behalf of PCAK to National Crime Research Centre for consideration of possible partnership.
The CS lauded PCAK for the noble initiative. “The launch of this report is timely and gives us an opportunity and urgency to confront some of the societal crises.” She said.
She said the report comes at a time when the world at large is going through extraordinary times due to challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The gender CS commended the association for being proactive in the fight against SGBV adding that it will inform mitigation measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said, “The research gives PCAK a front seat in the fight against SGBV.SGBV affects family, when families are affected the community is affected.”
Professor Kobia said efforts to end SGBV by the government among others include establishing of National Policy for Prevention and Response to Gender Violence of 2014, National policy for Eradication of Female Genital Mutilation of 2019 and National Guideline on Management of SGBV of 2014.
She said according to Kenya Demographic Health Survey of Kenya 2014, about 43 per cent of married women experience SGBV.
“The findings of PCAK report confirms there is a strain due to loss of income and there is also lack of health outlet to deal with psychological strain.” Kobia said.
She said cases of sexual and gender-based violence in May and June were mostly directed at women.
Out of 783 cases that were reported in May 2020,67 per cent were female while out of 848 cases reported in June 2020,68 percent were female.
Kobia said high prevalence of SGBV cases were reported in Nairobi, Kiambu,Nakuru,Kisumu and Kakamega. Isiolo,Samburu, Tharaka-Nithi,Garissa and Marsabit reported low cases.
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