This archive report was first published on 23 December 2019.
December 23, 2019, marked a somber day for Kenyan women as they took to the streets to raise awareness about the growing issue of sexual harassment. The initiative, led by Chalk Back and Plan International, saw women from Nairobi, Kampala, Cairo, and Delhi document catcalls they had been subjected to in public spaces, writing them in chalk on the streets and pavements.
According to a report by the Global Study on Homicide: Gender-Related Killing of Women and Girls, Kenya is among the countries with the highest cases of female homicides and abuse against women. By November 16, 2019, reported cases of femicide were 84, with Nairobi County leading.
Adelle Onyango, a social activist and rape survivor, has teamed up with Carolina for Kibera to create Safe 24/7 – a free group therapy programme facilitated by trained professionals that survivors of rape will attend once a week, for 10 weeks. Survivors will also receive a toolkit that has coping mechanisms for them to use even after the group therapy programme has concluded.
Naomi Mwaura, founder and managing director of Flone Initiative, a non-profit organisation working to create a safe and professional public transport in Kenya, stated that 76% of female drivers and conductors have either experienced or witnessed sexual harassment. She added that most of the time, commuters are the perpetrators.
As the world marks Human Rights Day, it is essential to acknowledge the prevalence of sexual harassment in Kenya and the need for a cultural audit to reevaluate the patriarchal system that perpetuates this issue. Every woman deserves to be safe 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
