Elders to help fight GBV in Bungoma

Bungoma

Monday, September 4, 2023

KNA by Roseland Lumwamu

Bukusu and Tachoni elders residing in Bungoma County have been urged to join the fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and female genital mutilation (FGM) with a view to ending the practice in the region.

The call was made during a three-day training for elders that was organized by the Kenya-Finland bilateral program.

The 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) report ranked Bungoma number one, representing 62 percent of the GBV cases registered countrywide and also leads in teenage pregnancy.

Early this year, in April 2023, the Bungoma County government signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the government of Finland that saw Bungoma get sh700 million towards the prevention of gender-based violence.

The bilateral program aims at strengthening, preventing, and responding to gender violence in Bungoma and its environs.

The signing of the MOU between Governor Kenneth Lusaka and Finland’s ambassador to Kenya Pirkka Tapiola at Kibabii University was witnessed by the Ministry of Public Service, gender and affirmative action CS Aisha Jumwa.

Consequently, Governor Kenneth Lusaka’s government has committed to advocate against and fight both GBV and FGM.

Speaking at a different function, Bungoma County Gender Director, Fredrick Makokha said elders were based placed to fight gender-based violence owing to their vast knowledge and experience in culture.  

Makokha said that sensitization meetings will continue in the County until all elders are reached.

“We didn’t just wake up and decide to sensitize the elders from the two communities but considered their roots in culture are working in line with the KDHS research and our formulated work plan,” he said.

Sammy Wenani, a Bukusu elder, decried the hiked number of teenage pregnancies in Bungoma blaming families for neglecting their children.

“As elders, we have a responsibility to guide and advise our children on what to do so that they grow up responsible fathers and mothers but if we sit back and watch we shall lose an entire future generation,” Wenani said.

The 2022 Demographic survey shows that 34% of women in Kenya have experienced physical violence since age fifteen compared to 27 % of men.

Courtesy ; K. N. A