The Kenya Union of Domestic Workers, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals, and Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA) and the Association of Women in Tourism (KAWT) have signed a memorandum of understanding to protect women in the hospitality industry from sexual harassment and gender-based violence in the workplace.
Kenya’s Women’s Tourism Association demanded that the government enact measures to guarantee a decrease in the increasing number of femicide cases.
Speaking during the signing of the MOU yesterday in Nairobi, the association’s national chairperson, Pauline Nduva, emphasized that the move was necessary since the majority of women work in the hospitality sector, which has also witnessed a number of the GBV cases recently.
“The MOU we are signing today with KUDHEIHA workers’ union is therefore a commitment—to not only support the prevention of gender-based violence but also to ensure assistance for those who are affected. We must leave no stone unturned in our efforts to mitigate risks and aid victims.” Said Nduva
Through training and campaigning, the MOU seeks to educate the workforce and eliminate stigma against women who experience gender-based violence.
“This is not merely a corporate responsibility; it is a moral imperative that reflects our values, integrity, and humanity. What does this commitment look like? It begins with education and awareness. We must cultivate a culture of understanding among the targeted groups about the realities of SGBV. Workshops, training sessions, and open dialogues are essential.”Nduva emphasised
Through the mentorship program, the Kenya Association of Women in Tourism (KAWT) hopes to directly interact with workers in the tourist and hospitality industries, equipping them with the skills and information necessary to combat harassment at work.
The program reflects a team effort to guarantee that businesses in the travel and hospitality sector respect everyone’s dignity.
They urged the government to swiftly and completely enact laws that will reduce GBV incidences, particularly in workplaces.
Albert Njeru, the secretary general of KUDHEIHA, urged the government to take a more active role in combating GBV and urged those who have been harmed by the vice to come forward and ask for assistance from the appropriate authorities.
“We want to mentor women and men working in the hospitality sector to create awareness to grow the industry to make it a better place to work in. We want also to make sure we create a better future for our workplaces as the union. We say it’s high time we stop SGBV; labour rights should also be human rights.”Said Njeru
Under the partnership, KUDHEIHA will organise educational forums for its members and workers where KAWT, FIDA, and other organisations will be invited as mentors.
In Kenya, about 34 percent of women have experienced physical violence since age 15, and 13 percent of women have experienced sexual violence at some point in their lives (KNBS, 2022).
Further, out of a total of 8,149 victims of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) crimes in Kenya in 2021, 92 percent of these victims were female and 8 percent were male (National Police Service, 2021).
According to a survey by Knightwise Human Capital, a Kenyan worker will experience at least 4 sexual harassment
incidents in the workplace, and this was more prevalent with workers who have been in employment for less than 3 years.
There are, however, many unreported cases of GBV due to threat, stigma, isolation, and social exclusion, which expose the victims to further violence at the hands of the perpetrators.
Gender-based violence results in devastating impacts, not just on individuals, but on entire organisations and societies.
The 16 days of activism against GBV is a global campaign marked from 25th November to 10th December every year aimed at preventing cases of GBV.
