Civil society organizations (CSOs) in Siaya County are urging the national and county governments to establish robust follow-up mechanisms to address the increasing cases of gender-based violence (GBV), particularly targeting widows.
Speaking during an event in Ukwala, Ugenya Sub-county, to mark 30 years of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Siaya Muungano Network Program Officer Hillay Omondi emphasized that widows’ rights violations remain rampant, despite ongoing advocacy campaigns by CSOs and other stakeholders.
Omondi called for a coordinated approach between civil society and government agencies to strengthen referral pathways.
“We need to strengthen the referral pathways with the community,” he said. “If widows cannot understand the process from the village elder to the assistant chief and all the way to the judiciary then we will still continue talking about violations.”
He further urged the Siaya County Assembly to expedite the passage of a long-pending legislation aimed at protecting widows.
“As a county, we have struggled to put in place legislation to protect widows. Our hope is that once passed, it will compel the county government to allocate resources and implement measures that safeguard the social and economic well-being of widows,” Omondi added.
Dorothy Muga, Coordinator of the Free Pentecostal Fellowship of Kenya’s (FPFK) Widows Project, expressed concerns over the persistence of GBV against widows despite ongoing campaigns. She urged the community to abandon retrogressive cultural practices that deprive widows of their rightful access to property.
Nelly Odipo and Sophia Awino Odhiambo, widows from Siaya, shared their personal experiences of property violations within families adhering to traditional practices.
“It becomes worse when it comes to land issues, as some brothers-in-law even go to the extent of putting up homesteads on your husband’s land without consultation,” said Nelly Odipo, a widow from Lung’a, Sifuyo West Sub-location.
Odipo acknowledged the positive impact of the FPFK widow’s project, noting that it has empowered widows to seek intervention confidently.
“The project has opened our eyes. Many of us can now confidently walk into government offices to demand our rights,” she added.
The civil society reiterated the need for both levels of government to address the gaps hindering widows and other vulnerable groups from fully enjoying their constitutionally protected rights.
