This archive report was first published on 2 July 2021.
On July 2, 2021, President Uhuru Kenyatta addressed the Generation Equality Forum in Paris, France, where he highlighted the alarming rise of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Africa.
According to President Kenyatta, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the already dire global GBV situation, turning it into a global emergency. He noted that emerging data indicates a surge of at least 25% in violence against women around the world.
President Kenyatta emphasized that GBV is a global challenge affecting over 36 percent of women aged between 15 and 49 years. He pointed out that Africa had recorded a spike in gender-related violence in the last year, with countries such as Cameroon (35%), South Africa (37%), Central African Republic (50%), Liberia (50%), and Kenya (50%) experiencing significant increases.
Kenya has made significant progress in addressing GBV, with President Kenyatta reiterating the country's commitment to ending all forms of GBV by 2030. He announced that Kenya will invest over $23 million in GBV prevention programs by 2022, increasing the budgetary allocation to $50 million by 2026.
President Kenyatta also outlined Kenya's plans to introduce data-supported policies in its anti-GBV efforts, including a specific module in next year's annual demographic health survey, the roll-out of an electronic information management system, and the integration of GBV in the country's universal health coverage program.
He called on the international community to commit more financial resources to the global fight against GBV, saying that 'to meaningfully deliver on these commitments will require substantial funding.'
