Ditch Kangaroo courts in arbitrating Sexual Gender Based violence (SGBV)

Murang’a South, Thursday, June 22, 2023

KNA by Florence Kinyua

The Murang’a South County Gender officer Peter Muhia has implored on various stakeholders in the county Gender based violence working group to dissuade the public to desist from solving sexual gender-based violence through kangaroo courts.

Speaking at the County Commissioners boardroom Wednesday, Muhia noted that arbitrating justice is one of the main challenges in the fight against SGBV.

The forms of gender-based violence can be physical violence, sexual violence, emotional violence, and psychological violence.

“Negotiating or arbitrating sexual gender-based violence denies the survivor an opportunity of fair trial to get full justice and further encourages the perpetrator to repeat the offence again since severe punishment was not meted on them” he cautions.

Muhia further notes that arbitrating justice outside the court through the kangaroo courts affects the mental and psychological well-being of the survivor who in most instances may be in the same vicinity with the perpetrator.

“It is wrong and illegal, issues of sexual gender violence should be reported to the authorities and solved in a court of law only,” he said.

“Once you make a complaint, the receiving authority has been equipped to assist the complainant or representative fill the relevant forms or in the case where the victim is a child or the victim is physically, mentally, intellectually or sensory challenged, or is a guardian they will be assisted to fill a protection order”

The protection order is meant to protect the victim and may direct the respondent not to physically or sexually abuse the applicant or may prevent any contact or require the respondent to permit the protected person to have continued access or use of certain necessities.

“Further, observes Muhia, GBV happens within our households so if you suspect that an act of gender-based violence is being committed or has been committed, please speak up and make a complaint to the relevant authorities like the police”

Alternatively, you can make use of the toll-free gender department hotline number of 1195 to report any cases or suspicions of sexual and gender-based violence.

The two days forum organized by the state department for gender and affirmative action brought together key stakeholders in the sector including the boda boda riders’ association, the Nyumba kumi, interfaith council representation, women, peace and security groups, the probation, children department, the Red Cross and other civil rights groups.

The stakeholders had come together with the aim of strengthening coordination of county Gender based violence (GBV) working groups which ensure among other functions adherence to principles of gender-based budgeting and promote inter county consultative forums in the fight against GBV.

The County Gender based violence working groups also harmonize gender related activities to avoid duplication in the county as well as make policies and recommendations through the steering committee to the intergovernmental forum on gender.

Courtesy ; K. N. A