Coast politicians have totally failed in the fight against gender based violence at the Coast, gender and children rights activists have said.
The activist led by ‘Pamoja for transformation trust’ a non-governmental organisation fighting gender based violence at the Coast said that though the activists have been working tirelessly to fight the vice, political leaders have not valued such efforts.
Speaking at Mtwapa on Thursday, ‘Pamoja for transformation trust’ gender and children rights officer at the Coast Mariam Wambui said that Coast county governments should work very closely with the national government so as to ensure gender based violence cases at the Coast are reduced.
Wambui said that the daily politicking among the Coast politicians was becoming a major threat to developments and efforts to contain social vices including gender related violence and discrimination in the region and urged politicians to focus more on protecting women and children against violence.
She said that some of the political leaders should be ashamed of themselves and focus more on gender matters within the areas of leadership.
“We have many women MCA’s, 6 Women representatives in each county and Female Members of parliament but we have seen totally nothing from them, the battle is left to activists,” added Wambui.
She said that if the female politicians urge their male colleague to join hands in the fight against gender based violence then the fight will be won.
“Our political leaders should feel ashamed, none of the coastal county has a safe house for children who have undergone sexual violence for example such children are just left to suffer both physically and psychological,” she added.
Wambui appealed to politicians especially women political leaders in the region to closely work with the gender activist so as to create awareness on how the community can fight gender based violence among their locality.