Concerted efforts needed to eradicate GBV

Kapsabet Wednesday, June 28, 2023

KNA by Geoffrey Satia

Chairman Chamber of Commerce Kapsabet has said that many Gender-based Violence (GBV) cases were not being reported because the victims are not aware of their rights and called for concerted efforts to eradicate the vice.

Elly Chepkwony regretted that the majority of locals were ignorant on how to keep evidence of reported defilement and rape cases leading to the dismissal of the cases by courts.

Speaking during the Gender-Based Violence Forum in Kapsabet town, Chepkwony said there was a need for an aggressive sensitization campaign among the locals on what amounts to GBV cases, where to report, and the victims’ rights while seeking justice.

The Civil Society Groups represented in the forum challenged police and the courts to organize joined public sensitization campaigns on their roles while handling defilement, rape case, or any form of GBV since the majority were ignorant of the process.

Monica Taraja Nandi Central Quality Assurance and Standard Officer said that the government has enabled schools to emphasize life skills lessons key to managing emerging sex and adolescent challenges.

Taraja revealed that the government has continued to prepare teachers on how to shape the lives of young people during this digital era.

The Educational Official on the other hand admitted that there was much to be done by parents and religious organisations to discourage cohabitation in colleges and universities.

Taraja told the GBV Technical Working Group forum that some churches were giving little attention to the moral part of life in issues of sex and adolescent challenges facing youths today.

“Some churches lean so much on spiritual matters and not addressing key adolescent challenges of sex, coping up with social media and general life skills lessons,” Taraja stated.

She said the strengthening of the guiding and counseling department in schools has enabled many students to grasp life skills lessons in preparing them for new developments in their lives.

Jepchumba Ruto Baraton University student representative said students were facing many forms of GBV but they were not reported.

She noted that victims at times are not sure whether such cases are GBV and should be reported or even didn’t know where to report them.

The student’s leader proposed that police should create a friendly environment where GBV victims can report freely without harassment.

George Ondonga, County Director of Gender, however, said they were working closely with the County Government of Nandi, the Police Department, the Court, the Department of Health, and relevant Civil Society Groups to ensure a safe space for reporting GBV cases and that the rights of the victims are upheld.

The forum was organized by the State Department of Gender and Social Protection to strengthen the coordination of County GBV working groups and safe protective space guidelines.

Courtesy ; K. N. A