Allan Olingo
Tomorrow marks the end of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, the centerpiece of a United Nations-led campaign that aims to end violence against women in all forms. But in Kenya, activists are reflecting on why their efforts seem to be going nowhere.
Nearly a year after more than 10,000 women and activists flooded Nairobi’s streets as part of the #EndFemicide protests that swept the country, the crisis has only deepened. Almost 100 women were murdered in just the three months between August and October, the police reported last month.
It marked the first time official statistics of these crimes had been made available. The numbers were far worse than the unofficial data previously collected by grassroots organizations, leaving activists questioning whether the country’s justice system is equipped to address the problem.
“It is unacceptable that we are here again,” said Njeri Migwi, co-founder of Usikimye, an organization providing shelter and support to survivors of gender-based violence.
Each year, the 16 days campaign begins on November 25 — the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women — and ends on Human Rights Day on December 10, with the intention of providing a platform for activists to demand accountability from their political leaders.
In Kenya, where the femicide crisis has brought together a coalition of activists, religious leaders, and political figures, the president convened a meeting with women leaders at the start of the 16 days campaign, pledging immediate action to address the escalating violence.
“As a father of four girls, I want them to live in a society where they are safe,” President William Ruto said as he pledged $771,000 to the government’s ‘Safe Home, Safe Space’ campaign, which seeks to address gender inequality and gender based violence. He emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach that tackles the root causes of violence against women, urging the nation to focus on solutions rather than shifting blame.
‘Safe Home, Safe Space’ is the first campaign to address Kenya’s femicide crisis. But activists said it was short on details, especially when it comes to implementation.
“I am terrified for the future of Kenyan women,” said Migwi. “You don’t solve a crisis by throwing money at it after the damage is done. Real change demands solutions that directly impact women’s lives, offering them the comfort and safety they desperately need.
“We keep demanding action, but the state remains reactionary. Once the uproar subsides, the crisis escalates. We are losing far too many women.”
Anne Wang’ombe, Kenya’s government official in charge of gender affairs, said the state was pushing for quick and concrete solutions to the crisis.
“Support systems are crucial for victims,” Wang’ombe said. “These include legal aid, shelters, and counseling services. Additionally, we are working to improve data collection on cases of femicide and gender based violence in order to inform policy decisions and track progress.”
Data on femicide is often incomplete due to underreporting, but there is a clear trend showing that Kenyan women are increasingly being killed by intimate partners, family members, or strangers. And it’s not just women from marginalized groups who are vulnerable — this September, Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei was set on fire by her former lover in Eldoret, Kenya. She became the fourth female athlete in the country to lose her life at the hands of an intimate partner.
Alarmingly, recent police data seems to confirm the fear among activist groups that 2024 could be the deadliest year on record for Kenyan women. Africa Data Hub, a Nairobi-based non-profit organisation that collects femicide data from media reports, civil society tallies and other sources, had earlier reported that more than 500 women were killed between 2016 and 2023, with 2018 marking the highest reported deaths at 98. In comparison, activists say at least 120 women have been killed in 2024. Meanwhile, the Nairobi Women’s Hospital has reported 4,000 gender-based violence (GBV) cases every month this year.
“Femicide has reached unprecedented levels,” said Leah Sankaire, the chairperson of the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association. “This is a direct attack on the safety of girls and women. State agencies must act, and perpetrators must be brought to book.”
