Non Governmental Organizations based in Machakos County have launched a social campaign to end rising cases of gender-based violence (GBV) in the County.
Dubbed ‘Usinyamanze’,the campaign aims at fighting the vice across all the gender in Mwala Constituency, which has been rated as the highest in GBV for the last one year according to some scholarly studies and police reports.
The NGOs; Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), VSO Jitolee-Kenya, the light of Hope initiative and World vision are vibrant in promoting gender equality in the County. “According to United Nations (UN), Gender equality is fundamental human right and a foundation of the peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. No one should continue to suffer discrimination and violence in any part of the world” said Ms. Majina Mwasezi, Project Administrator, VSO.In the year 2016, worst ever case of GBV in Mwala Sub County shocked the world after Jacqueline Mwende was allegedly chopped off arms by her husband in an alleged domestic row, the case is still in Court.Many of the cases go unreported. "In Mwala it has been an everyday thing and we advocate all members of the society to support this course. It is a campaign we will get people sign up and show their commitment to end violence as well as mounting awareness campaigns across the county” said Ms. Matheka.Harriet O’Connor from the light of hope cited that GBV has contributed to the decline of Education levels, depression among the victims as well as broken families which in turn lead to street families in the urban centers in Machakos county.The campaign was launched in Masii town in Mwala on Saturday.