Violence against women in Kenya has reduced thanks to the continuous empowerment given to women by the civil society and the government.
This is according to LiveKind-Kibera, a community based organisation supporting victims of gender based violence, and working to prevent the vice.
Acknowledging the relevance of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women that was marked on Wednesday, Sylvia Makena, an officer at LiveKind-Kibera, lauded the role played various stakeholders in creating awareness on the need to safeguard women against various forms of abuse.
"Non-governmental organisations have really helped in advocating for the end of violence against women. Comparing to five years ago, we have seen a change considering that women can now speak out for their rights. The government has also played a bigger role in empowerment of women as compared to years back when those in power did not bother about women," opined Makena during an exclusive interview at the organisation's office in Ayany estate.
She encouraged women especially in Kibera, to embrace empowerment as they fight for their space in society.
"Women should understand that they need to be empowered; they should take it seriously by ensuring that they do not remain silent in case of any form of violence either physical, mental, or financial," she advised.