EU supports toolkit for women human rights defenders in Kenya

The EU Delegation to Kenya today marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, with representatives speaking at events in Nairobi and Windsor.

The Delegation sponsored the launch of a new toolkit for women human rights defenders in Nairobi's "slum" areas: this provides them with practical advice on human rights under relevant Kenyan legislation and international law. The event was organised by Peace Brigades International, which supported the production of the toolkit by Naomi Barasa and Mary Njeri. Andy Barnard, First Counsellor at the EU Delegation to Kenya, gave the keynote address in which he underlined the EU's support for efforts around the world to eliminate violence against women. Naomi Barasa, who herself had grown up in one of the slums, gave a presentation explaining the use of the toolkit. Three human rights defenders, Anastasia Wakonyo (Mukuru), Ruth Mumbi (Mathare) and Lydia Kemuma (Kibera), then discussed their work in Nairobi's slums.

"In our daily lives we still see public attitudes that trivialise or discount violence against women," noted Mr Barnard. "Just this month, one popular television show portrayed as trivial the crime of rape, appearing to normalise this unacceptable and dehumanizing act and to shame victims."

In Windsor, some 200km south of the capital, EU Ambassador Stefano A. Dejak attended another event to mark the international day together with Kenya's Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki.

"All women and girls should be able to lead a life free from fear and violence," said Ambassador Dejak.

Also this morning the Star, one of Kenya's leading daily newspapers, published a joint Op Ed on the same subject by Cabinet Secretary Kariuki, the UN's Siddharth Chatterjee and Ambassador Dejak.