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Meru County has officially launched the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) with a walk led by County Commissioner Jacob Ouma.
The event, which took place at the County Headquarters on Monday, aims to raise awareness about the increasing prevalence of GBV in the region.
During the event, Mr. Ouma emphasized the need for a collaborative approach to combat GBV, urging all community stakeholders to be involved in the fight. He highlighted the alarming rise in reported cases and called for urgent action to address the issue.
“The fight against GBV cannot be left to a few individuals or authorities alone. We need to hear about these crimes from all corners of the county and take swift action,” Ouma said. He also noted that Meru County was ranked third nationally in terms of GBV, with 38% of cases reported.
Dr. Koome Muthuri, the County Director of Health, expressed support for the initiative, stressing that ending GBV requires the collective effort of every resident. “As the health department, we are committed to supporting survivors and working with the community to eliminate GBV,” Dr. Muthuri stated.
GBV County Coordinator Judy Kawira shared a recent troubling case of a 12-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted while running an errand, underscoring the urgent need to address violence. She stressed that tackling GBV requires a united community effort, saying, “It takes a village to end GBV. If we all act, we can put an end to these crimes.”
This year’s campaign theme is Invest to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls.
