Kenya intensifies efforts to protect women, girls

AKURU — The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened risks that Kenyan women and girls are facing during their normal lives.

Fortunately, key stakeholders are consolidating efforts to lower the vulnerabilities by providing legal, medical, psychosocial and logistical support to the female gender.

The stay-at-home order, partial lockdown in five counties, the dusk to dawn curfew and closure of many businesses has negatively affected women and girls as sexual and gender-based violence have spiked, women are dying with their infants due to complications associated with delivery since they cannot reach hospitals in time while girls are exposed to transactional sex for survival.

On April 2, Kenyan Chief Justice David Maraga raised concerns over the increase in sexual offences since the outbreak of the disease in Kenya on March 13.

The cases accounted for 35,8% of the crimes committed since the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in Kenya.

ape, sexual assault and defilement are among the serious crimes that the courts are giving priority as directed by the chief justice.

“We are worried about the many girls and women who are undergoing sexual and gender-based violence but can't open up or report due to fear,” Kwamboka Oseko, a legal associate with Coalition on Violence Against Women told Xinhua during a recent interview.

“We have more than 50 community activists across the country and on a daily basis, we receive two to three cases reported from their areas.”