Violence Against Women
Have you ever wondered whether there can be peace in the world when there is none at home? This year, the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence campaign launched by the Coalition of Violence Against Women in Nairobi yesterday will aim at exploring some of the deeper issues that promote and perpetrate violence against women and girls.
"Most women find themselves trapped in the cycle of violence in the sense that they are violated against and when the perpetrator brings them flowers, or a kilo of meat and apologises, the violator gets away with it. When the cycle is not broken, most of these cases end up in fatalities," said Saida.
Saida added that COVAW will be holding processions in different parts of the country like Kajiado, Samburu, Mombasa and Laikipia among others to create awareness in the community and at national level.
According to Saida, the theme of this year, 'From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let us challenge militarism and end violence against women' resonates with the Kenyan situation where many women found themselves violated against when sporadic chaos erupted after the disputed 2007 general election.
"Many women are still struggling to live with the loss and tragedy that hit them after the elections. State agents raped some women and they lost their dignity and property. This 16 Days of Activism are a call for both men and women to join hands to eliminate all forms of violence," she said.
During the launch, COVAW also unveiled the purple ribbon in recognition of the experiences of women in all thematic areas. "The purple ribbon means we stand in solidarity with all women and girls that have lost their lives through violence, those that continue to live in fear of violence in their homes, the children who are shattered by violence and most importantly those who have the courage to break away from the violence," said Saida.