In June, YW4A programme stakeholders convened in Kisii County in Kenya, bringing together Members of the County Assembly (MCAs), young women, and women’s rights organisations (WROs), including the Centre for Community Mobilization and Empowerment (CECOME) and the YWCA of Kisii.
During this event, data on sexual and intimate partner violence in Kisii County was presented to illustrate the issues advocated by the young women and WROs. The 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey highlighted that 36% of women in Kisii have experienced physical violence since age 15, and 16% have experienced sexual violence. Additionally, 53% of ever-married women reported experiencing physical, sexual, or emotional violence by a spouse.
The presentation of this data, mapped to specific areas and sub-locations in Kisii, led to an acknowledgment of the severity of the issue by duty bearers, including the Women Representative. The open discussions provided a platform for MCAs to share personal encounters with gender-based violence (GBV), including domestic and intimate partner violence.
Following the engagement, community dialogue sessions were established to address issues such as marital rape, a particularly sensitive topic in the region.
Furthermore, the legislators committed to adopting and legislating an anti-GBV policy and a gender mainstreaming policy, with technical support from CECOME, YWCA Kisii, and Equality Now. Both CECOME and YWCA Kisii plan to participate in and guide the community dialogues, while Equality Now will provide support in legislative development.
