Urgent Recommendations for Comprehensive Action to End Femicide and Sexual/Gender-Based Violence in Kenya
MEMORANDUM TO THE FEMICIDE TASKFORCE OF KENYA
FROM: Usikimye Organization
DATE: May 27, 2025
SUBJECT: Urgent Recommendations for Comprehensive Action to End Femicide and Sexual/Gender-Based Violence in Kenya
INTRODUCTION
Project Red Lipstick
Executive Summary
This memorandum outlines the “Project Red Lipstick” initiative, a comprehensive social campaign designed to address the escalating crisis of femicide in Kenya. Developed by Ogilvy Africa and WPP Scangroup, this multi-faceted initiative aims to raise public awareness, challenge harmful societal narratives, advocate for the legal recognition of femicide as a distinct crime and foster a national culture of safety and respect for women. Leveraging the symbolic power of red lipstick as an emblem of female empowerment and resistance, the project employs a strategic blend of social media engagement, influencer partnerships, media collaborations, community outreach, and targeted legal advocacy. This submission seeks the government’s attention and potential collaboration in amplifying these efforts to combat femicide effectively across the nation.
Background and Rationale
Kenya is currently grappling with a disturbing increase in cases of femicide, which refers to the gender-related killing of women and girls. This crisis is a grave violation of human rights and a significant impediment to gender equality and national development. Despite widespread public outcry, femicide is not yet recognized as a distinct crime within the Kenyan legal framework, leading to inadequate data collection, inconsistent prosecution, and a perpetuation of impunity. “Project Red Lipstick” is a direct response to this urgent societal need, seeking to ignite a national discourse and drive tangible change through a combination of public education and legislative reform advocacy.
Campaign Goals
The overarching goal of “Project Red Lipstick” is to contribute significantly to the reduction and eventual elimination of femicide in Kenya by:
● Raising Public Awareness: To elevate national consciousness regarding the severity, prevalence, and systemic nature of femicide as a distinct form of gender-based violence (GBV).
● Challenging Harmful Narratives: To actively dismantle victim-blaming sentiments and promote portrayals of women that uphold their dignity, agency, and fundamental human rights.
● Advocating for Legal Recognition: To champion the formal recognition of femicide as a specific criminal offense within Kenyan law, ensuring appropriate legal recourse and accountability.
● Fostering a Culture of Safety: To cultivate a societal environment characterized by gender equality, mutual respect, and zero tolerance for violence against women.
Specific Objectives
To achieve the aforementioned goals, the campaign has identified the following specific objectives:
● Public Discourse Amplification: To significantly increase public discourse on femicide and its underlying causes, including systemic gender-based violence, through sustained social media engagement and traditional media coverage.
● Symbolic Product Adoption: To effectively utilize a symbolically resonant product (Kenyan Flag Red lipstick) in collaboration with an established influencer’s cosmetic line to generate widespread awareness and engagement.
● Influencer and Community Mobilization: To strategically engage influential personalities and community leaders in disseminating positive and empowering messages within urban and peri-urban populations, leveraging digital connectivity.
● Legislative Reform Advocacy: To actively lobby for legal reforms aimed at expediting the resolution and prevention of femicide cases, including the formal declaration of femicide as a distinct crime.
Campaign Activities
“Project Red Lipstick” employs a multi-pronged approach encompassing the following key activities:
● Social Media Campaign:
○ Launch and promotion of dedicated hashtags: #MakeFemicideACrime and #EndFemicideKe.
○ Dissemination of compelling visuals, ethically sensitive victim stories sourced from publicly available domains (e.g., https://femicide.africauncensored.online), and clear calls to action.
○ Encouragement of user-generated content (UGC) through personal story sharing to foster empathy and collective action.
○ Strategic partnership with a female-owned cosmetic line (Joanna K Cosmetics – Unapologetic & Boss shades of red) for a limited-edition “Kenyan Flag Red” lipstick. A percentage of sales proceeds will be directly donated to community support programs via USIKIMYE, a core campaign partner, for women affected by violence and femicide, at the discretion of Joanna K Cosmetics.
● Influencer and Advocacy Engagement:
○ Collaboration with prominent female and male influencers, podcasters, and documentary creators to amplify campaign messages and promote the urgent need to criminalize femicide in Kenya.
● Media Partnerships:
○ Securing interviews, features, and dedicated articles in mainstream media outlets and online publishers to extensively cover the femicide crisis and the campaign’s objectives.
● Community Engagement:
○ Formal partnership with USIKIMYE, an organization specializing in gender-based violence, to facilitate the provision of essential resources and support services to affected individuals and communities.
○ Mobilization of a national petition aiming to secure 100,000 signatures to formally declare femicide a distinct crime in Kenya (accessible via https://www.change.org/p/declare-femicide-a-crime-in-kenya/dashboard).
● Legal Advocacy & Institutional Engagement:
○ Convening at least one round-table discussion with key policy communities to advocate for the official declaration of femicide as a crime in Kenya.
○ Hosting structured round-table discussions with legal communities, including representatives from “Winning at Law Podcast,” “The GBV Task Force,” the State Department for Gender & Affirmative Action, and individual legal professionals, to identify and address systemic impediments to justice.
○ Facilitating the provision of pro bono legal support through USIKIMYE to women and families directly affected by femicide.
Desired Outcomes
The successful implementation of “Project Red Lipstick” is anticipated to yield the following significant outcomes:
● Enhanced Public Awareness: A substantial increase in public awareness and a deeper understanding of the multifaceted nature of femicide in Kenya.
● Shift in Public Discourse: A discernible shift in public discourse, moving away from victim-blaming narratives towards increased accountability for perpetrators and a greater emphasis on prevention.
● Legal Recognition of Femicide: The successful declaration of femicide as a distinct criminal offense in Kenya, primarily driven by the public petition led by our core partner, USIKIMYE.
● Sustained Support for Victims: Establishment of long-term direct pledges from corporate partners to USIKIMYE, ensuring enhanced and sustained support for victims, survivors of GBV, and the continued operation of safe houses.
Conclusion and Call to Action
“Project Red Lipstick” represents a critical and timely intervention in Kenya’s fight against femicide. Its comprehensive strategy, combining public awareness, advocacy, and community engagement, offers a viable pathway to address this escalating crisis. We respectfully urge the relevant government MDAs to consider the merits of this initiative and explore avenues for collaboration, partnership, and support. Government endorsement and collaboration would significantly enhance the campaign’s reach, impact, and ultimately contribute to creating a safer and more equitable society for all women and girls in Kenya.
Usikimye Organization
Usikimye Organization, a leading voice in the fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and a fervent advocate for the rights and safety of women and girls in Kenya, commends the establishment of the Femicide Taskforce led by Dr. Nancy Baraza. This initiative signifies a crucial step towards acknowledging and addressing the escalating crisis of femicide in our nation. We appreciate the opportunity to contribute our insights and urgent recommendations, informed by years of working directly with survivors and affected families.
The systematic and brutal killing of women and girls in Kenya recommends an urgent, comprehensive, and unwavering response from the government. Our recommendations are rooted in the belief that every woman has the right to live free from incessant violence and that the State has a fundamental duty to protect this right on the bases of Articles 21 and 27 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010.
THE CONTEXT
CASE 1 : Masa Mayeshe.
Masa was 9 years old and a grade 3 student.
A cheery, and obedient girl, she loved playing and was first to raise her hand in class.
Masa and her family were Congolese fleeing the war and hoping to find a place to settle in Kenya.
March 24, 2024 – Her mother had to finish making supper, so Masa asked if she could play outside as she finished cooking, when her mother went to call her to eat: She couldn’t find her. Together with concerned neighbours , they went to report to the police after about two hours of searching for her. The missing report was lodged at both Kayole and Soweto Police.
The following morning, her body was found on the roof of the next building next to their house. She had been defiled, killed and dumped.
Her murderer is still at large.
CASE 2: Ruth Mwelu Mbula
Ruth was 69 years old. She was a jovial lady, many people remember her for running her food business with her daughter and grandchildren near Blue Sky – Ruaka.
10th May 2025 – Ruth left her house to go to the market at around 5am in the morning. Her body was found dumped in a ditch.According to her autopsy report, she was raped, sodomized and strangled to death.
No one has been arrested to date.
CASE 3: Charity Mukami Machira.
She lived in Kirigiti and worked in an insurance company in their procurement department.
Her family described her as generous, smart, soft spoken and always had a kind word to tell everyone. She just turned 30 on 02nd May.
Her best friend called her on Monday morning and she didn’t pick her calls. A bit alarmed she called a friend who usually uses the bus with Charity to go to work together, she said she hadn’t seen her that morning.
She kept calling Charity and as it wasn’t her behavior not to pick calls , she shared with another mutual friend about her discomfiture. They reached out to her mother who said for the first time Charity hadn’t called her that morning as she always did. Her mother reached out to her workplace only to be informed she had reported.
Her colleagues said she hadn’t responded to calls or emails either. Her husband Boni wasn’t answering her calls either.
They contacted a neighbour who they were in Chama together, she told them she had heard a loud scream on Sunday night but she wasn’t sure where it could possibly have come from. Armed with this information they went to her landlady and together with the police they broke down the door to her house.
There they found Charity. Lifeless. Bloody. Murdered.
Her postmortem reads she had been hit six times on the head. Three wounds on her forehead. Behind her ear and behind her head.
Her husband Boniface Mwaniki Mugo had left a note addressed to Charity’s brother: He stated that everything in that house belonged to him. The goods should be given to his younger brother. The man’s last call was traced to Meru.
He is still at large.
CASE 4 : Naomi Chebet
Naomi was 31 years old, working in Nairobi and a mother to 3 girls.
She had been in a long term relationship but according to her family they had separated last year in October. She even relocated to Kangemi. In February they rekindled their relationship but she did not tell anyone from her family that they had gotten back together. They had had previous incidents of threats and violence in the relationship. The man had threatened to kill her and the children. As a result the family intervened and took the children to Solai, Nakuru.
On Sunday there is a witness that spotted the two entering the house together at 9pm but the man left an hour later. Her father says that he left with her phone and tools he used to assault her.
When. Naomi’s body was found to have holes on some parts of her head. At midnight, when her brother came home , he found her body propped on the sofa as though she was seated and covered in a fleece blanket; he assumed she had fallen asleep while watching TV. The next morning when he tried to wake her up, is when he discovered she was dead. He called the police, they made their observations and took her to Chiromo morgue.
The matter is at Kabete Police Station. He is still at large.
The man had also been posting murder threats on Facebook.
CASE 5: Baby Wamaitha
Wamaitha was 3.5 years old.
She was from Maragua, Muranga. Her grandmother says she was looking forward to join nursery school.
Her mother says she last saw her on 9th Feb 2025
Baby Wamaitha’s body was found 11.02.2025. She had been defiled, then strangled to death and her body was dumped in a dam in Maragua
CASE 6: Lydia Tokesi
Lydia was 29 years of age.
Lydia had gone to visit her boyfriend who is a resident in Rongai. When she didn’t report to work on Monday, her colleagues and family were alarmed and reported her as missing. Circulation of her missing person posters were rife on social media. Lydia had been missing for a week.
14.01.2025 – Lydia’s mutilated body was discovered on Sunday in Oloolua Forest, near the Gataka-Embulbul junction. Investigations by officers from Riruta Police Station revealed she was last seen with her boyfriend, Joseph Philip Orwa, at his rented home in Rongai. Police believe Orwa used the very car Lydia bought him to transport her body after the murder. The vehicle was later abandoned near Lydia’s parents’ home.
Lydia’s family shared that she had been in a relationship with Orwa for 8 years since their university days. She was employed at Kasha Tech at the time of her murder.
Orwa is still at large.
CASE 7: Sylvia Kemunto
She was a first year student in MultiMedia University. She was a Mass communication and computer major student. She was only 19 years old.
On Sunday, her mother could not reach her and wanted to confirm if the money she had sent through a church elders phone had gotten to her. When she couldn’t get to her she decided to go to the university to confirm what was wrong. Her mother filed a missing person report with Langata Police.
On Sunday lunchtime while her roommate was away, her boyfriend – Philip Mutinda strangled her and stuffed her body in a suitcase. He then dragged the suitcase to his room. His roommate says he tried to use the suitcase as a pillow but it was uncomfortable so he put it under his bed . The next day his roommate confirms both the suitcase and Philip had disappeared.
Sylvia’s decomposing body was discovered in Block E in a water tank after 3 days.
Philip surrendered himself to Sultan Hamud Police station on April 03, 2025.
CASE 8: Gaala Aden
Gaal was a 17 year old girl who was forcibly married off to a 55 year old Mohamed Kassim Tifo . Under the cover of darkness she was taken from Dagahaley Refugee camp and taken to Wajir, she completely refused the marriage when she reached there. She spent 27 days of fear and agony resisting the marriage.
She sent her mother a voice note detailing her beatings and suffering in the hands of those who she had been sent off to, but to no avail.
Her voice note said ” 24 hours I’m being beaten. This is not a man. I was betrayed into marrying this herder. Why is my face swollen? I don’t have a man here. He gets your support every time. No one wants to listen to me. Every sunset when I get to that house, I get beaten. ”
Her last call was to her mother and stepmother on Saturday 22nd March, she told them her phone was being taken away and that they had beaten and had also stabbed her. The postmortem reports indicate they took her body, put it in a mattress and burnt her body. There were 100% burns.
The murderer was arrested
The same week we had the body of Lucy Wamaitha recovered from Sagana River, and a decomposing body of a woman discovered to have been killed and buried in her farm by her husband.
In 2025 girls are still being forcibly married to old men. Girls are being killed for saying NO The agony of the beating that Gaal endured and not getting rescued or relief from her own family.
CASE 9: Teresa Kemunto
Teresa was 26 years
Teresa worked as a security guard based at Coop Bank Towers in town. Her co-workers describe her as ever jovial and willing to help. Kemmie, as she was fondly remembered, was a mom to 2.5 years old and was married to Oscar Oundo. They lived in Soweto, Kayole.
Kemmie had been having fights with her husband and for a time they had separated and she went to live in Umoja. After their reconciliation, barely two months in, her husband beat her , leaving her badly injured. In spite of how badly injured she was, she sought help at Soweto Police station but her family claims no help was forthcoming from the authorities.
Kemmie went home and tried to nurse her injuries, this was Thursday and by Saturday she was in too much pain. She called her brother for help , where she was rushed to hospital and succumbed to her injuries.
Her husband was later arrested by Soweto Police on May 6 2025.
CASE 10: Tamara Blessing Kabura
Tamara was 7 years old. She is from Nyeri Town.
Tamara went missing on 24th May 2024 with her missing poster being circulated online. She had last been seen at the New Open Air Market in Nyeri. The CCTV cameras were able to place her with the perpetrator buying her cakes and sweets in a local supermarket. Then further going into Witemere slums while holding her hands.
People have been searching for her and her body was found , she had been raped, murdered and buried in a popular Bebabeba man’s house.( Bebabeba are the people who pull trolleys or carry goods )
The body was taken to the mortuary for a post mortem and the suspect was arrested.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS
A. LAW , LAW ENFORCEMENT, LEGAL FRAMEWORK
1. Enactment of a Distinct Law Against Femicide:
Rationale: Existing laws are often insufficient to capture the gendered nature and systemic patterns of these killings, leading to inadequate prosecution and conviction rates. A specific law will act as a deterrent and send an unequivocal message that the State recognizes and will severely punish the intentional killing of women and girls.
Recommendation:
I. We advocate for the urgent drafting and enactment of a specific, standalone law criminalizing femicide. This distinct legislation must clearly define femicide, encompassing killings motivated by gender, and provide for stringent penalties that reflect the gravity of this crime.
II. We recommend legislation that defines crime to encompass all levels of relationships between members of society, the power dynamics of these relationships and the aggravating circumstances that lead the SGBV crimes to escalate to femicide. The definition of femicide should clearly define the dynamics of familial homicide, intimate femicide, stranger femicide, femicide of women working in sex trade, sexual femicide; femicide that occurs in the course of human trafficking and armed conflict and; cultural femicide (which includes child marriages and female genital mutilation); female perpetrated homicide. The gender related motivation must be succinct to ensure a separation between homicide and femicide.
III. We recommend legislation that cascades down the hierarchy of penal laws and policies governing GBV; with necessary amendments being made to the definition and sentencing provisions within the Sexual Offences Act, with relevant amendments to the Children Act and to Acts that deal with GBV and its prevention. This would further be applied to legislation such as the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act which is the furthest end of the spectrum in facilitating GBV and sexual crimes against girls and women.
IV. We recommend legislation that sets out steep punishment with a minimum mandatory sentence with no option for pardon or remission of sentence under The Power of Mercy Act, Cap 94 Laws of Kenya.
V. We recommend legislation that mandates the judiciary and the investigative services to investigate, hear, prosecute and conclude a matter related to femicide or SGBV within a particular time frame to ensure preservation of DNA evidence, witness accounts and testimony; as well as ensure that justice is done.
VI. A call for legislation in Kenya that makes provision for the establishment of shelters for victims and/or survivors of SGBV which would in turn encourage reporting of such cases and the removal of victims from any aggravating situations especially within the family unit and communities.
VII. We recommend a comprehensive legislative, policy, regulatory and institutional framework that goes beyond criminal law and integrates family and children’s law for the best interest of survivors, children, dependants and family members. In particular, we ask for legislation that provides for immediate removal of children from homes where femicide has been committed by a husband against his wife and the suspending of parental rights for those accused of femicide awaiting trial. We also propose for reparation and preferential social support for children who have been left without parents because of femicide.
VIII. We recommend that while considering aggravating factors, the legislation pays due regard to the age of the victim, the brutality with which the victim’s body is mutilated and/or disposed, steps taken by the perpetrators in destruction of evidence and concealing the crime and the mental and physical disabilities of the victim.
IX. We recommend that the legislation provides steeper punishment for persons in positions of trust who sexually abuse children and in particular parents and teachers.
X. A call for implementation of National policies and GBV action plans already in place within the State Department for gender in Kenya with an inclusion of current collated data from various investigative and non-governmental institutions with a view of establishing more targeted approaches in combating SGBV and femicide.
XI. A call for unified and collaborative efforts (with a clear definition of roles) within the institutional and regulatory frameworks that would ensure seamless multi-sectoral implementation in addressing SGBV and femicide.
XII. We further recommend that the legislation be cognisant of proper mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation to ensure less strained implementation mandates of projects initiated under the various legal or policy frameworks.
2. Strengthening of Forensic and Investigative Capacity:
Rationale: Effective investigation is critical for successful prosecution. Currently, many cases are hampered by insufficient evidence collection, delayed forensic reports, and a lack of specialized skills to handle the complexities of gender-based violence crimes.
Recommendation:
I. Allocate substantial resources to enhance the capacity of law enforcement agencies (including the National Police Service and Directorate of Criminal Investigations) in forensic analysis, digital evidence collection, and specialized gender-sensitive investigation of femicide cases. This includes training for officers on trauma-informed approaches. In particular, we recommend that the government increases the national forensic laboratories from two to at least eight.
3. Mandatory Gender Sensitivity Training for Judiciary and Law Enforcement
Rationale: A lack of gender-sensitive understanding often leads to victim-blaming, lenient sentencing, and re-traumatization of survivors and families, eroding public trust in the justice system.
Recommendation:
I. Implement mandatory, continuous gender-sensitivity training for all judicial officers, prosecutors, and law enforcement personnel involved in GBV cases, including femicide.
II. Establish clear accountability mechanisms for non-compliance or discriminatory practices.
4. Designate Special Focal GBV and Femicide Prosecutors
Rationale: The Public Prosecutor plays a central role in the justice system and particularly, in classifying crimes and consequently ensuring justice for victims and their families. Their interpretation of the facts and application to law will mean the difference between a slap on the wrist and life in prison which would serve as a deterrent
Recommendation:
I. We recommend that the ODPP identify, train and station specific prosecutors as Femicide and GBV focal persons at every court with the jurisdiction to handle murder cases.
II. Publish the names and contacts of these prosecutors on court notice boards so that the public has an identifiable resource for matters femicide within their reach.
III. Empower these prosecutors and judicial officers to be able to receive, process, and hear these femicide cases within a month of the crime and determine them within 6 months of the crime.
5. Integration of Psychosocial Support into Police GBV Desks and Officer Training
Rationale: The initial point of contact for survivors with law enforcement is critical. A lack of sensitivity or understanding can re-traumatize survivors and deter them from reporting. Integrating professional psychosocial support ensures immediate emotional first aid and effective long-term healing, fostering trust in the justice system.
Recommendation:
I. Mandate the presence of trained psychosocial support personnel or readily available referral pathways for counseling and trauma support at all police GBV desks. Additionally, ensure that all police officers, particularly those at GBV desks, receive mandatory and ongoing training in trauma-informed care, active listening, and empathetic response to survivors of violence.
II. Provide the police and all actors handling femicide and GBV cases with paid-for psychosocial support.
B. MENTAL/PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT
1. Provision of Comprehensive Psychosocial Support for Families Affected by Femicide:
Rationale: The psychological and emotional toll on families, especially dependent children, is immense and often overlooked. Without adequate support, these families face severe mental health challenges, economic instability, and the risk of perpetuating cycles of trauma.
Recommendation:
I. We recommend that the government establish and adequately fund accessible, long-term, and trauma-informed psychosocial support services for families bereaved by femicide, particularly children who lose their mothers. This includes counseling, grief support, and community-based healing initiatives.
2. Provision of Comprehensive Psychosocial Support for CBOs and Community workers, first line responders working on SGBV and Femicide:
Rationale: CBOs including community health workers, social workers and local leaders, require structured psychosocial support to effectively address femicide cases within the communities.CBOs are often the first point of contact for survivors and witnesses.Their close involvement can lead to emotional distress,burnout and secondary trauma.Providing them with psychosocial support enhances their resilience, improves service delivery and ensures they can continue their vital work without compromising their wellbeing.Studies have shown that community health workers trained psychosocial support can significantly improve mental health outcomes in low income areas. Exposure to traumatic events without adequate support can lead to post traumatic stress disorder,burnout, compassion fatigue, anxiety and depression among firstline responders. Implementing psychosocial support programs can mitigate these effects, improve job performance and reduce absenteeism.
Recommendation:
I. We recommend that the government either provides directly, or provides SHIF/SHA credits for access to psychosocial support for CBOs and community workers involved in the reporting, litigation and support of femicide cases.
3. Provision of psychosocial support to community members and witnesses
Rationale: Witnessing or being aware of femicide incidents can lead to community wide fear,anxiety and a breakdown of social cohesion.Community based psychosocial interventions can foster solidarity, reduce stigma and promote collective healing.Evidence suggests that community engagement and support systems are crucial in addressing the psychosocial impacts of violence.
Recommendation:
I. Community members, especially those in areas with high femicide rates, require accessible psychosocial support services to address collective trauma and stigma.
4. Provision of healthcare providers
Rationale: Healthcare providers frequently encounter the physical and psychological aftermath of femicide, which can lead to compassion fatigue and burn out. Implementing psychosocial support programs can enhance their coping mechanisms, improve patient care, and reduce turnover rates. Research indications indicates that integrating psychosocial support into healthcare settings can improve the well being of health workers and quality care provided.
Recommendation:
I. Healthcare providers, including doctors, nurses and mental health professionals need ongoing psychosocial support to manage the emotional toll of treating femicide survivors.
C. SOCIAL SUPPORT
1. Provision of Safe Houses and Shelters
Rationale: The current absence of a clear regulatory framework for operationalizing shelters creates a significant gap in establishment, sustainability and quality of service provision. This will ensure survivors have guaranteed access to safe, standardized and integrated refuge, which is essential to their healing , safety and integration back to society. Safe housing is a critical immediate intervention for survivors at risk. Lack of safe refuge is a primary barrier preventing women from escaping abusive situations. Supporting existing shelters leverages established expertise and infrastructure, ensuring continued protection for survivors.
Recommendation:
I. The government must establish and adequately fund a comprehensive regulated network of safe houses and shelters across all the counties.
II. We recommend that the government consider allocating one house in every Affordable Housing Unit as a safehouse.
III. Provision of financial and operational support for existing safehouses and shelters.
IV. Development of a National Policy and Framework for establishment, funding and support of Safehouses and Shelters.
D. CULTURE
1. Dismantle Culture of Silence, Shame and Stigma
Rationale: Societal shame, victim-blaming, and the culture of silence are major impediments to survivors seeking help and justice, allowing violence to fester with impunity. Proactive public education is essential to shift social attitudes, foster collective responsibility, and create an environment where GBV is openly condemned and survivors are supported
Recommendation:
I. We recommend a statement from H.E. The President of the Republic of Kenya William Samoei Ruto to declare “She Is Me” meaning that violence against women is as good as violence against himself and that his office will allocate all necessary resources to ensure that every Kenyan woman is safe.
II. We propose the introduction of continuous, comprehensive Sexual Education in the Kenyan School curriculum.
III. We propose the mandatory introduction of The Office of Psychosocial Support at every primary and secondary school manned by a certified psychologist.
IV. Provide a detailed reporting framework for schools for reporting harm, trauma and abuse of children and which is integrated with the local community.
V. We recommend that the Ministry of Education terminate employment (not transfers) for teachers reported to have committed sexual or GBV related crimes against school students or teachers.
VI. We recommend that the Ministry of Education create and publish publicly, a list of sex offenders who are enlisted as teachers under the Teachers Service Commission.
VII. The government must launch and sustain comprehensive, robust and continuous national public education and awareness campaigns to challenge harmful patriarchal norms, dismantle the culture of shame and stigma surrounding GBV, and encourage reporting. These campaigns must engage diverse audiences, including men and boys, and leverage various platforms (media, community, religious institutions, schools) to promote gender equality, respectful relationships, and zero tolerance for violence.
VIII. We recommend the amplification of survivor voices and positive narratives. We propose the state media, in collaboration with other media partners, support survivors to share their survival stories to humanize the experience of violence, counter stereotypes of how a survivor should be and show that recovery and thriving are possible. This will inspire other survivors to seek help, and it will shift the focus from victim blaming to empowerment.
IX. We propose the inclusion of themes of honouring women at the annual schools and colleges music and drama festivals.
X. We propose a robust campaign by Museums of Kenya together with Magical Kenya and incorporating Kenyan musical, dramatic and audiovisual artists to retell African culture highlighting the aspects of honour, respect and protection of the African woman.
XI. We recommend a national sensitization campaign for all reporting agents of violence against women, including religious organizations, educational institutions, health facilities, and local government. In particular, these reporting agents need to understand the basic law around the various crimes against women, the place of African culture versus the law of the land versus religion, and finally the procedures for legal redress for victims.
XII. We recommend the formulation and training of a national whistleblowing framework incorporating reporting agents.
XIII. We recommend a robust and culture-first local social media influencers partnership, who are pivotal in combating femicide and gender-based violence (GBV) by leveraging vernacular communication for authentic and culturally resonant messaging, enabling them to break down barriers and challenge harmful norms within diverse communities across Kenya.
XIV. Simultaneously, we recommend that these influencers be uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between digital awareness and grassroots community engagement, effectively mobilizing their online following to participate in crucial offline educational initiatives and dialogues as valuable government partners.
E. DATA
1. Creation of a National Register and Comprehensive Data Collection on Femicide:
Rationale: Reliable data is fundamental for understanding the scope of the problem, identifying patterns, informing policy, and tracking accountability. Without accurate data, effective prevention and response strategies cannot be developed or measured.
Recommendation:
I. Establish a centralized, publicly accessible, interagency national register for all femicide cases.
II. Mandate the National Police Service to collect, collate and report to the CS and the public, monthly disaggregated data on victim demographics, perpetrator relationship, method of killing, and legal outcomes.
III. Include collection of data around the particular types of violence against women and the rate of prosecution and conviction on the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics crime index.
F. TECHNOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY-FACILITATED GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
1. Combating Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV)
Rationale: TFGBV is an escalating threat that often serves as a precursor to physical violence and femicide, creating an environment of fear and control. Current legal and investigative capacities are often inadequate to address the complex nature of online abuses.
Recommendation:
I. The government must develop and implement comprehensive strategies to prevent, investigate, and prosecute technology-facilitated GBV (TFGBV), including cyberstalking, online harassment, non-consensual sharing of intimate images, and digital economic abuse, which often precede or accompany physical violence and femicide. This requires updated legal frameworks, specialized digital forensic units, and public awareness campaigns.
2. Call for Comprehensive Legislation and Enforcement Against TFGBV:
Rationale: Existing laws don’t fully address the gendered nature of online abuse, which can escalate to real-world harm and femicide. Explicit legislation ensures accountability and deters perpetrators.
How this tackles Femicide/GBV: Provides legal tools for early intervention, deters online harassment, and offers pathways for survivor protection, potentially preventing physical harm.
Recommendation:
I. Enact and rigorously enforce specific laws criminalizing all forms of TFGBV (e.g., cyberstalking, doxing, non-consensual image sharing), with clear penalties and reporting mechanisms.
3. Call for Enhanced Gender-Sensitive Digital Literacy and Safety Education (Including Targeted Awareness Campaigns):
Rationale: Many are unaware of online risks or reporting mechanisms. Education empowers individuals to protect themselves and fosters a culture of respectful online conduct, crucial for preventing the escalation of online abuse. Consistent, clear messaging educates the public, dispels misinformation, and equips individuals with the knowledge to identify GBV and report it, fostering a shared understanding that GBV is unacceptable and help is available.
How this tackles Femicide/GBV: Empowers potential victims, educates against harmful online behaviors, and builds community resilience against digital threats that can precede physical violence. By consistently communicating that GBV is never the victim’s fault, these campaigns help break the silence that often surrounds abuse, encouraging reporting and intervention before situations escalate to femicide.
Recommendation:
I. Implement nationwide, gender-sensitive digital literacy programs for all ages, focusing on safe online practices, recognizing TFGBV, and promoting responsible online behavior. This must include targeted education and awareness campaigns through diverse channels like community radio, social media, posters, local theatre, schools, and public events. These campaigns should clearly define different forms of GBV, inform about available support services, and emphasize that the blame lies solely with the perpetrator.
4. Call for Collaboration with Tech Companies and Platform Accountability:
Rationale: Platforms are often used to perpetrate TFGBV due to weak moderation. Tech companies must be held accountable for user safety to prevent online abuse from escalating to real-world violence.
How this tackles Femicide/GBV: Ensures rapid removal of harmful content, reduces perpetrator anonymity, and embeds safety features into digital spaces, disrupting pathways to real-world harm and femicide.
Recommendation:
I. Mandate tech companies to implement robust, local-language content moderation, transparent TFGBV reporting, and swift action in removing harmful content.
II. Advocate for “safety by design” in new platforms.
G. COORDINATION AND EXISTING GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS
Demand: The government must significantly invest in strengthening, expanding the reach, and improving the quality of existing critical GBV response mechanisms within state institutions, such as Policare Centers and dedicated GBV Desks within police stations and health facilities. This includes ensuring these facilities are adequately resourced with trained, gender-sensitive personnel, sufficient materials (e.g P3 forms, forensic kits) and functional infrastructure that provides confidentiality, safety, and integrated services (medical, psychosocial, legal) to survivors at the first point of contact.
Rationale: While new initiatives are vital, optimizing and fully empowering existing government structures is essential for a comprehensive and sustainable national response. Well-functioning Policare Centers and GBV Desks serve as crucial entry points for survivors into the justice and support systems. Strengthening them ensures that survivors encounter empathetic, professional, and efficient assistance, which is critical for successful case reporting, investigation, and ultimately, justice. This also builds public trust in government services.
H. ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
1. Economic Empowerment and Protection for Women at Risk
Demand: The government must develop and fund comprehensive, multi-sectoral initiatives focused on the economic empowerment and protection of women and girls at risk of GBV, and survivors of violence.
a)Accessible Skills Development and Vocational Training: Implementing programs that provide demand-driven vocational training, digital literacy, and entrepreneurship skills, particularly for women and girls in vulnerable situations.
b)Facilitated Access to Financial Services:Creating mechanisms to enhance women’s access to micro-finance, affordable credit, savings schemes, and financial literacy training, enabling them to build assets and secure their financial independence.
c)Support for Sustainable Livelihoods and Employment:Developing initiatives that link trained women to employment opportunities, support the establishment and growth of women-led small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and promote women’s inclusion in value chains.
d)Secure Housing and Property Rights: Ensuring policies and programs that guarantee women’s access to safe, affordable housing and reinforce their rights to land and property ownership, providing them with a secure base from which to escape abusive situations.
e)Social Protection Measures: Expanding social safety nets and cash transfer programs specifically targeted at women and female-headed households facing economic hardship due to violence or risk of violence.
f)Legal Aid for Economic Justice: Providing legal assistance to women to assert their economic rights, including property division, inheritance, and maintenance, in cases of domestic disputes or violence.
Rationale: Economic dependence is a profound and often insurmountable barrier that traps women in violent relationships and significantly increases their vulnerability to further abuse, including femicide. When women lack the financial means to support themselves and their children, the option of leaving an abusive environment becomes practically impossible, irrespective of available legal or psychosocial support. Proactive government investment in comprehensive economic empowerment programs is a crucial preventative measure against violence. It provides tangible pathways to financial independence, secure livelihoods, and safe housing, thus enabling women to make autonomous decisions about their safety, break cycles of violence, and achieve sustainable recovery and dignity.
CONCLUSION
Usikimye believes that these recommendations represent a crucial roadmap for the Government of Kenya to fulfill its constitutional duty to protect all its citizens, particularly women and girls. We stand ready to collaborate with the Femicide Taskforce and relevant government ministries to translate these recommendations into tangible actions that will genuinely end the epidemic of femicide in Kenya.
We look forward to presenting these recommendations and engaging in constructive dialogue.
Signed:
Njeri Migwi
Usikimye & Project Red Lipstick
Incl. Usikimye Petition List – 91, 803 petitioners
https://www.change.org/p/declare-femicide-a-crime-in-kenya?recruiter=1370472675&recruited_by_id=bec1c280-1076-11f0-820d-ffabc6c1b0a8&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=starter_onboarding_share_personal&utm_medium=whatsapp