Africa-Press – Kenya. Your Excellency, we appreciate your efforts in trying to curb the rampant effects of Covid-19, a pandemic that had catastrophic consequences.
However, we have been dealing with another pandemic that threatens to wipe out the children and adolescents in this country.
Over the years, we have rescued over 500 girls who have called our shelter home.
We have closed our doors to countless numbers of girls as we can only take in a given number at a time.
This just speaks of the magnitude of sexual violence against children in our country.
In 2020, COVID-19 hit and with it came another pandemic; teenage pregnancies and a rise in defilement cases.
Your Excellency, the effects of these are still being felt; children are raising children, children are healing from the traumatic experiences they went through, families are recovering from the hard economic effects and so much more.
In our line of work, we have experienced the highs and lows of supporting survivors of sexual violence.
Lack of full implementation of the existing sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) policy on national prevention and response, Few shelters and safe houses have been established which cannot meet the demand, Limited coordination of stakeholders working on SGBV prevention and response, The health, security and justice sectors have limited capacity and resources to effectively respond to SGBV and implement anti-SGBV programs, and lastly Inadequate enforcement of legislation to curb SGBV due to lack of full implementation of the existing SGBV policy.
Your Excellency, at this time, SGBV cases are on the increase not only in the capital city but the whole country, the establishment of the safe house by the government will offer refuge to the victims, who in most cases find themselves staying or facing their perpetrators.
The lack of a safe house for victims, means they face the danger of repeat violations over and above the trauma they have faced. We recognize the efforts of private and public sectors on matters SGBV.
The government’s efforts in establishing the POLICARE support centres have been a tremendous move. We would like to however urge that your government;
Maisha Girls Safe House believes that our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
Maisha Girls Safehouse is a shelter that provides care and support to girls victims of sexual violence.
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