16 September 2024 · Theme 3 Policy Insight
- September 16, 2024
- Posted by: SUSAN KIAMBATI KALANGI
- Category: Theme 3 Policy Insight
Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) is a major health, social, economic and human rights issue that affects individuals, communities and has dire consequences on national development (NGEC, 2016). In their strategic plan, COVAW (2018) underlines its major driver as the power imbalance between women and men in patriarchal societies. Galtung (1990) posits that violence does not occur in a vacuum but is linked to socio-cultural and structural factors that impact on men and women’s choices and behaviour. Mc Evoy (2012) notes that SGBV is not only widely accepted by individuals and communities in Kenya but also takes place within the intricate web of families, thereby entrenching it as normal life. This reality compromises not just SGBV’s prevention, but also response to it. The latter for instance requires a multifaceted individual-based approach and a broad range of services including, but not limited to, medical, psychological (counseling), legal, and financial.
There are a number of state and non-state actors, such as Gender Violence Recovery Centers under Ministry of Health (MoH) and Rescue, Recovery and Rehabilitation Programs (RRRPs) by NGOs among other initiatives that carry out awareness and advocacy programmes on various forms of SGBV. Although these efforts focus on response and prevention, their effectiveness is unclear, since SGBV persists and continues to act as a barrier to WEE.
This study presents the findings from the evaluation of one state -run GVRC and one non-state RRRP and provides important policy recommendations for policy and programme interventions.
Key findings:
- SGBV affects women in their most productive ages
- SGBV has an economic cost and diverts resources from investment to treatment and recovery
- Survivors reach a tipping point of seeking help when their lives are in danger
- Psychological and medical assistance are the most sought services.
- Other forms of assistance are mostly not sought due to cost, ignorance, apathy of action and fear of perpetrators
- Knowledge and skills from the programs contributed to the survivors’ journey towards economic empowerment and self esteem
Key Policy Recommendations
- Counties should establish elaborate digitized GBV data collation platforms
- GBVRCs should include economic empowerment component in the menu of services
- GBVRCs to take all data on costs incurred while offering services to survivors for use in budgeting accountable management of resources
Read the comprehensive Study Report: Impact of programmes and Initiatives addressing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence as a constraint to Women’s Economic Empowerment
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The KU-WEE Hub Project aims to ensure that interested parties such as relevant ministries and departments, county governments policy leaders (legislators and policy makers) implementing agencies and donors utilize policy evidence to shape policies, programs, interventions, and advocacy efforts related to supporting women’s economic empowerment (WEE) in Kenya.
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