Story by : ELIJAH
GICHUNGE
Photos by: LEAKEY
GITONGA

The County Government has made a milestone by developing a Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) policy that will induce a coordinated multi sectoral approaches for fighting gender violence a cross the County.

With Meru Assembly having passed the policy on the April 10th, 2019 to give a legal framework that will enhance the fight, the department will now be able to, in collaboration with other stakeholders effect the policy.

Speaking in an inception meeting on nomination to Gender Technical Working group for the implementation and coordination of SGBV Policy, CECM incharge of Gender and Social Development, Linner Nkirote reported that the policy is a waiting gazzetment, a head of official launch later in the month, after which it will be ready for execution.

She pressed that GBV, a social development aspect, greatly retards economic development since it acts as the center for poverty. "Anywhere a woman or a man is suffering, poverty thrive. It is disheartening to have heard that Meru was ranked top 3 in the crime research center's report last year." Said Nkirote.

The technical group which involved representatives of all anti GBV stakeholders, will work to strategize on mitigation, analysis of the County's social development levels, bridge geographical and programatic gaps and collect data that will aid in fighting GBV.