By Betty Luke
The Kenya Women Senators Association (KEWOSA) Saturday held a sensitization forum in Isiolo aimed at raising awareness on Gender-Based Violence, femicide, and women’s rights and enlightening women on the reporting mechanisms.
The forum brought together women leaders, survivors, human rights defenders, and community members to discuss solutions to the menace that continues to derail women empowerment and realization of their dreams.
Different speakers called on residents not to shy from reporting violence to ensure timely justice to the survivors.
Isiolo Gender Watch Executive Director Grace Lolim said testimonies shared during reporting to police and medical personnel are crucial during the court processes.
“Do not worry about who your witnesses will be once in court. There are so many people and institutions allowed to testify in a Gender Based Violence cases,” Ms Lolim said.
The human rights crusader also raised concerns about the rising trend of handling child abuse cases locally and outside the legal systems, urging the community to trust the courts in delivering justice.
Her sentiments were echoed by Gender activist Anab Kasim who told off a section of leaders for allegedly using sexist remarks against women leaders in bid to discredit their constitutional mandate.
Anab reminded the gathering that violence against any gender is unconstitutional and unacceptable. She urged women to speak out whenever one of them is affected so that the matter is expeditiously escalated to authorities for action.
“Violence against anyone regardless of the position they hold is illegal and uncalled for. It is unfortunate that nowadays violence has been normalized and sometimes perpetrators are elected leaders,” she said.
Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo called for an end to violence against women and girls. She urged communities to reject silence and fear, and instead embrace protection, justice, and dignity for all.
“We are tired of the pain and the silence,” said Senator Dullo. “Let us raise our voices and say: Enough! Stop violence. End gender-based violence. End femicide,” read part of the Senator’s speech read out by one of the KEWOSA representatives.
The lawmaker emphasized that the campaign is not just about making noise, but demanding accountability and policy enforcement. She said justice must be accessible to every woman and girl, regardless of their background.
“This is not a favour we are asking for,” she said. “We are demanding what is rightfully ours- safety, dignity, and a life free from violence.”
She challenged leaders at all levels to prioritize women’s safety, saying the community cannot continue to treat gendered violence as normal.
The Senator also affirmed that Isiolo will be the starting point of a larger national movement that sought to end violence across the country .
“This campaign starts here but it will spread to the rest of the counties and impact different generations,” she said.
Facilitator Peter Ekai said many people, especially women, are unaware of their rights and how to seek justice when violated and called on stakeholders to put mechanisms that would help create more awareness to the communities.
Women at the forum highlighted the exclusion of people living with disabilities from leadership, noting they are often overlooked despite facing unique challenges.
