GENDER BASED VIOLENCE

The issue of gender based violence has of recent times been addressed openly more than ever before, as its has brought other problems besides victimization that are really creating a strain on the social and economic fabric of societies.

There are many forms of violence against women, including sexual, physical, or emotional abuse by an intimate partner; physical or sexual abuse by family members or others; sexual harassment and abuse by authority figures (such as teachers, police officers or employers); trafficking for forced labour or sex; and such traditional practices as forced or child marriages, dowry-related violence; and honour killings, when women are murdered in the name of family honour. Systematic sexual abuse in conflict situations is another form of violence against women.

In Kenya for example, violence against and on women has become the order of the day despite there being laws (especially the Sexual Bill 2008) that are supposed to protect them and punish the perpetrators effectively.

Mostly it is the young women and girls who suffer the brunt of the violence on an every day occurrence yet the perpetrators are roaming free, committing more and more crimes. There’s need for the government and all concerned in the enforcement of laws in the country to focus more attention in to the matter of VAW if this country is to turn around in become a haven of peace and tranquility.

Siting the occurrences of the aftermath of the December 2007 elections in Kenya, women and children were the hardest hit in the whole fracas and will carry that burden for many years to come. Right now, a year down the line, many of the women and children are still languishing in the deplorable IDP camps with little or no assistance from the government that they collectively and democratically elected.

This is the grossest form of gender based violence and inhumanity, that is directly associated to genocide, that this world can ever witness as this women and children suffer for a crime that they know not of while those that are employed by them to serve them, are carrying out selfish and partisan politicking, already starting their campaigns for the 2012 elections, as though that is all that matters.

I dare say and categorically state that we, the citizens of this country and indeed the whole world are keenly watching the actions and motives of the Kenyan legislators and shall not relent in our quest and push for legislations to be implemented accordingly and without favour or bias.

Our women and children deserve better than they are supposed to be treated and accorded by this republic.

Ain’t this country a signatory of very many conventions and treaties that other countries are following and adhering to? Are laws in this country only for those that are regarded to as “common mwananchi”? And by the way what is the meaning and purpose of the term “common mwananchi”. Are there “special mwananchis” who are better served than others under the laws of a sovereign country?

Links to other informative sites:

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs239/en/

http://www.unifem.org/gender_issues/violence_against_women/

http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/

http://www.eastandard.net/women/InsidePage.php?id=1144001491

http://www.covaw.or.ke/aboutus.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violence_against_women

http://www.vday.org/contents/violence

http://endabuse.org/programs/display.php3?DocID=9916&gclid=CIHTh6PVhpgCFQ1TEAod0HZ6Cw