The “Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) 2022” shows 34 per cent of women and 27 per cent of men aged 15-49 have suffered physical violence. And 13 per cent of women and seven per cent of men aged 15-49 have experienced sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
SGBV is widely recognised as a serious human right, economic and health concern in Kenya. To combat the scourge, Kenya has adopted various legal and policy frameworks. They include the 2010 Constitution; Sexual Offences Act, 2006; Prevention of Domestic Violence Act, 2015; Victims Protection Act, 2014; National Policy on Prevention of and Response to Gender-Based Violence, 2014; and National Policy Session National Policy Conference Paper No. 2 on Gender and Development (2019).
These statistics are disturbing, considering the SGBV policies and legislation, translating to their ineffectiveness. Clearly, that call for their improvement. That, and increased access to adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health and rights services, can be achieved through an all-inclusive continued engagement with the policymakers, the national and county governments, non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders.
Partnerships are key in the development of key policies that could comprehensively address the SGBV challenges adolescents face.
Most of the existing ones were enacted at the behest of the then-central government; in the current context of devolution, they are not effective. A county-specific legislative policy framework to mainstream SGBV interventions into the actions of all relevant governance bases, agencies and institutions are thus needed.
Improved SGBV policies would help to build infrastructure and facilities for the provision of quality and comprehensive related services. These include SGBV commodities, recovery centres, shelters and safe space management.
