The Way Forward Conference held in Kilifi County to review the impact of Kenya- Finland partnership on gender and social transformation has revealed remarkable achievement in the fight against gender-based violence and the promotion of social justice in Bungoma, Kilifi and Samburu counties.
Since 2022, the Kenya-Finland Bilateral Program has supported the three counties to develop and implement region-specific strategies that address child marriage, female genital mutilation and gender violence among other socio-cultural barriers to the empowerment of women and girls.
Notably, the program has trained more than 600 duty bearers and essential service providers on the areas of counseling psychology, mediation and substance abuse prevention to enable them deliver impactful support and intervention to the survivors and victims.
In Bungoma and Samburu Counties, the program has carried out successful campaigns and sensitization to challenge retrogressive mindsets and cultural norms that endanger the lives of women and girls. Through community dialogues, elders and cultural leaders have made commitments to find alternative rites of passage to the harmful female genital mutilation, leading to community declarations to end the vice. While in Kilifi County, it has supported the establishment of a rescue center and safe houses in collaboration with the County Government.
Gender and Affirmative Action Principal Secretary Anne Wang’ombe, speaking when she graced the two-day conference in Kilifi, lauded the program interventions, especially its localized approaches that have been instrumental in addressing specific community challenges. She noted that the male engagement initiatives and capacity-building efforts of the program have shifted gender norms and empowered local communities to lead the fight against gender-based violence.
Kilifi County legislature Getrude Mbeyu emphasized the importance of intersectional approaches, combining education, economic empowerment, and access to justice. She urged all stakeholders to collaborate towards creating sustainable, inclusive policies and programs that make our societies safe and secure for all.