By Audrey Chemutai
Women have been urged to report issues concerning the gender based violence following the recent rising cases of femicide which has been seen rising across the country.
Speaking in Kericho during the celebration of 1st anniversary subjected to the femicide campaigned which was held at Kericho Moi Garden,Kericho County coordinator Mrs Emmy Odaba several cases which was reported at various police station has been resolved and the victims were able to get justice.
Odaba said cultural beliefs such as solving issues and religion has been the main challenge in fighting the gender based violence and to ensure the justice prevail the victims has to report the matter at the nearest police station which helps the investigation team to arrest the culprit and be arraigned the court of law.
‘I call upon every women has been the victim of gender based violence to follow up the matter at the concerned authorities which helps in resolving the matter , do not be demean at all cost by any person by not reporting the issues come up and report’, She added.
According to Rose Rotich ,Kericho county coordinator of action against the gender based violence at the office of Kericho women reveled the office of the women received a total of 32 cases between the aged of 18 to 49 years including People living with disabilities has been resolved and the culprits were brought to book and now currently serving in sentences.
‘Creating awareness is a platform which helps in taming up GBV Matters at all cost saying Kalenjin community still believe on cultural practices of solving this issues hindering the victims to get the justice’, Rotich said.
She also said the victims should be counseled to avoid being stigmatized by the society and also more of them may lose hope in life which might end up losing them in the society.
On the 32 cases which was reported the survivors were abled to be reuniting with the community and those who had left studies in secondary schools were able to return back to school and many of them came up with good grades on recent 2024 KSCE results announced by ministry of education early this year.
Beatrice Chebet an officer in the state department for gender and affirmative action term the femicide as a global disaster and there is need to be eradicated at the community.
On the other hand Kericho Based Human Rights activist Barnabas Salim called upon members of Kericho County Assembly (MCAs) to come up with a gender bill and a kitty to cushion the survivors.
