The Urgent Need for Policy Reforms to Curb Rising Femicide Cases

By Robert Mutasi

Femicide is a crisis that faces Kenya, considering that over a period of six months, more than 100 women and girls were killed as a result of gender-based violence.

This surge in cases within such a short period means the system has collapsed; offenders may act with impunity where the laws may exist on paper but are poorly enforced.

It is now high time for the country to hurry and address destructive gender norms, firm up the legal system, and economically empower women.

Doing nothing will make the violence dent the rights and dignity of Kenyan women. The formation of a government task force headed by retired Deputy Chief Justice Dr. Nancy Baraza is a good first step in addressing gender-based violence.

But changing the law will not end the crisis on its own. Changing the law alone will not put an end to the crisis. Many cases of femicide are linked to deep-seated gender roles that legitimize violence, dominance, and control as attributes of masculinity.

This needs gender sensitivity education at schools and extensive public awareness campaigns to counter such negative stereotypes from a tender age.

Equally critical is the role of the media in attitude change. The media needs to highlight systemic problems rather than report on individual tragedies and the facilities where survivors can receive help.

Public campaigns should also enable members of the community to identify warning signs of domestic violence and take necessary action before they escalate into femicide.

Economic empowerment is also needed in combating gender-based violence. The fact that many women are financially dependent on their abusers keeps them in abusive relationships.

By expanding educational, skill-training, and job opportunities, Kenya will enable such women to have the financial independence they deserve to get out of risky circumstances.

Government programs should work to create safe workplaces, pay equal pay for equal work, and support women entrepreneurs. Equally important, there is a dire need for the reform of law enforcement.

Where criminals are not brought to book, it gives them more confidence and discourages victims from providing information on crimes.

Police officers should be trained in how to handle cases of gender-based violence with sensitivity, while a rationalized legal system should ensure that justice is meted out in the shortest time possible.

Femicide is not a women's problem; it is a national emergency that needs a multi-sectored approach. Taking down the systems that enable the violence requires the public, media, civil society, and government to act together.

If nothing gets done now, Kenya risks normalizing femicide and turning gender-based violence into an endless cycle of loss and terror. Girls and women deserve protection, dignified treatment, and the right to live free of fear of violence. Now is the time for action.