BY ELIJAH GICHUNGE
PHOTO: LEAKEY GITONGA

The county government of Meru has in collaboration with the National government and Gender Based Violence (GBV) activists, recently celebrated the world’s anti-GBV campaign, in a walk from Makutano to River-land bus stage, to mark the 16 Days of activism against GBV.

This is an annual activity that runs every year from 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, the Human Rights Day, in an international advocacy campaign aimed at challenging violence against women and girls.

While this year’s theme is Orange the World: #HearMeToo! The theme for exercise in Meru was End Gender Based Violence in the World of Work.

This amplifies the voices and agencies of survivors and activists as intensified through "hear me too’’ campaigns.

Orchestrated with various voices of activism, the exercise focused on the protection of, and respect to, the People Living with Disability (PWDs), the widow, children, men and women towards enhancing the societal stability.

Meru County Chief Officer Gender and Social Development, Mr. Mwirigi Lewis, Women are the instruments to help the families, county and the nation at large to achieve its development goals. However, he said the feminine gender has mostly been abused.

"We cannot develop without protecting the women. Absolutely no society can gain stability with gender based violence" asserted the CO.

In this vein, he said the county government through his department is committed to work with other gender activists in ending discrimination against women, while advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment. This is more vivid through Meru Twaweza Program.

Mr. Fredrick Imwara, National Government, Meru Gender Officer, present called for increased awareness of this vices saying that violence is taking an increasing number of forms - ranging from economic, verbal and sexual harassment in the streets to domestic violence and physical violence femicide in the worst-case scenario.

His statement was echoed by Ms. Judy Manene, I Choose Life -Meru, who said these forms of unnoticed violence have also extended to schools and workplace, hampering social development.

Leah Mutumbu, Center for Rights & Education Awareness (CREAW) lauded the participating organizations and the county governments support in raising awareness this vice. She said though the survivors are routinely shamed into silence, everyone has the right to be heard.

The chairperson Meru County Assembly Women Caucus, Hon. Lucy Mukaria, passionately appealed for Meru residents to support the initiative and not oppress any gender whatsoever. The assembly is working on GBV legislation in support of the move. She said. 7 organizations were represented.