Kenya: MSF launches campaign against sexual violence

By Andrew Wasike

Nairobi, KENYA

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) launched Wednesday a campaign in the Kenyan capital Nairobi against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in East Africa.

MSF told Anadolu Agency that in Kenya alone 45% of women between the ages of 15-49 had experienced either physical or sexual violence in their lives, and nearly two-thirds of the survivors had reported that they knew their attacker.

Yann Libessart, the regional communications coordinator for MSF East Africa, said that the aim of the "Don't excuse abuse" campaign was to call for the eradication of violence against women.

"It is happening on the same day as the 16 days of activism for the eradication of violence against women, which is an international campaign happening every year," Libessart said.

He added that MSF had cared for victims of sexual violence in Kenya since 2007.

"Last year [in 2015] alone, we treated over 2500 survivors of violence only in Nairobi. It is an issue that is under-addressed in Kenya,” he said, adding the highest rates of SGBV cases in East Africa were reported in South Sudan and Somalia.

Diana Wanjiku Kamande, a mother and a survivor of gender-based violence, who was stabbed by his husband numerous times in 2013 said she was grateful for the event which brought survivors together.

"He wanted to kill my children. We got rescued and I stayed in the hospital for a long time.

"I am so happy to be here as at least we now have a platform where we can share and fight this because it is real. Our problem was sitting in silence," she said.

Also present at the panel discussion was Zeinab Hussein, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Youth, Gender and Social services, as well as forensic scientists from the government chemist department and representatives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

MSF says that the event which brought together officials from local communities, governments, and the police among other organizations will provide room for discussion to improve the situation for the victims of SGBV in East Africa.