Cases of Gender Based Violence targeting girls and women have increased in the past few years in Kisii County.
International Rescue Committee (IRC) which implements Peace Initiative Kenya Programme (PIK) in various counties in the country has decried rampant rise in the cases.
The PIK programme officer, Ruth Onywele underscored the importance of grassroots communities partnering with the IRC and collaborating actors in addressing GBV cases affecting girls and women in the region.
Speaking at a Kisii hotel during training of community activists on their role in spearheading anti-GBV community outreach programmes, Onywele challenged the activists to intensify their community awareness activities to scale down increasing cases of GBV reported.
She expressed her organisation's commitment to work with local communities through community activists.
"Our objective as an organisation and the donor who is channelling funds to the grassroots for implementation of PIK programmes and ensure we work with county governments in order to realise positive response and prevention to GBV," stated Onywele.
The CAs led by ex-civic leader Gwaro Makori expressed concern that there were several cases of GBV, especially defilement which went unreported due to intimidation directed at the victims' parents and guardians by the perpetrators who use their connections with the law enforcement machinery.