NAIROBI, Kenya, June 11 — The government is accelerating the implementation of measures aimed at tackling the rising cases of gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide across the country, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has said.
Speaking at Harambee House Annex in Nairobi, the Deputy President said the government had already begun implementing recommendations proposed by the Presidential Technical Working Group on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide established by President William Ruto last year.
Kindiki said additional interventions requiring Cabinet and parliamentary approval are also being fast-tracked to strengthen the country’s response to the growing crisis.
“I reaffirm the commitment of the government to make sure we roll back the worrying statistics of gender-based violence and femicide in our country,” the Deputy President said.
The DP held a consultative meeting with Gender and Affirmative Action Cabinet Secretary Hanna Cheptumo, Principal Secretary Anne Wang’ombe and senior ministry officials to review progress on the implementation of the taskforce report.
He noted that President Ruto had directed the speedy implementation of legal, policy and administrative measures to curb GBV and femicide, which he described as a threat to national development and social stability.
“The government is concerned with the repeated cases and reports of the killing of women in brutal and horrendous circumstances. We take these cases seriously because they are harming our nation-building and the progress we are making in development,” Kindiki said.
According to the Deputy President, some of the recommendations are already being implemented through administrative action, while others require approval by Cabinet and Parliament before they can become law or official government policy.
Kindiki directed the Gender Ministry to expedite the submission of proposed policies and legislation to Cabinet for consideration and eventual tabling in Parliament.
He added that the implementation of the report would also support Kenya’s efforts to ratify the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls, which was adopted during the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in February 2025.
The Deputy President called on all Kenyans to play an active role in combating gender-based violence and protecting vulnerable members of society.
“As much as we are pursuing national development goals of better infrastructure, education, roads and healthcare, we also have a responsibility to build a country that is safe for everyone,” he stated.
Kindiki further assured the public that the government is also developing measures to address the growing concern over missing children cases reported in different parts of the country.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Gender and Affirmative Action as the government intensifies efforts to strengthen protection mechanisms for women, children and other vulnerable groups.
