The Vihiga County Government has launched a six-month campaign to prevent sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), improve reporting and strengthen support for survivors.
The campaign will use community dialogues, roadshows, media advocacy and school outreach programmes to reach residents in all subcounties.
It will bring together community members, cultural and religious leaders and youth groups to challenge harmful social norms, encourage behavioural change and improve referral services for survivors.
The initiative was launched at Mbale Municipal Grounds on Tuesday by Gender and Affirmative Action Principal Secretary Anne Wang’ombe and Governor Wilber Ottichilo.
It is being conducted under the theme, “Towards a Safe and Violence-Free Vihiga County: Strengthening Community Action Against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence”.
Ottichilo said SGBV remained a major obstacle to the county’s social and economic development. He warned that it should no longer be treated as a private family matter.
“Time has come for us to stop treating sexual and gender-based violence as a family affair. It is a violation of human rights and a serious obstacle to the social and economic development of our county,” he said.
The campaign brings together the county and national governments, security agencies, the Judiciary, civil society organisations, religious leaders and community groups.
The aim is to strengthen prevention, reporting, access to justice and support for survivors.
Ottichilo said the county had developed SGBV and child protection policies and established an SGBV Advocacy and Awareness Committee to improve its response.
The county has also operationalised an SGBV Recovery Centre in Sabatia. The centre provides survivors with shelter, medical care, counselling, legal assistance and reintegration support.
“The recovery centre is providing survivors with a safe space, medical care, counselling, legal assistance and support to reintegrate into their communities,” he said.
The centre has supported 36 survivors, including 30 girls, two young women and four boys. Of the cases handled, 28 involved rape and defilement, highlighting children’s vulnerability to sexual violence.
The 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey shows that 34 per cent of women in Vihiga have experienced physical violence since the age of 15, while 12 per cent have experienced sexual violence.
The survey also found that 43 per cent of women who had ever been married or had an intimate partner had experienced physical, sexual or emotional violence from their partner.
The county further reported that about 72 gender-based violence and femicide cases were recorded every week during engagements in May 2025.
Wang’ombe praised the county’s multi-sectoral approach, saying cooperation between government agencies and other stakeholders was essential to protecting survivors.
“Our responsibility is to ensure policies and interventions do not only remain on paper, but translate into real protection, justice and support for survivors,” she said.
She urged elders to help protect vulnerable people and challenge harmful practices that allow violence to continue.
“Elders have an important role to play in protecting vulnerable members of society and ensuring that harmful practices and silence do not allow violence to continue,” she said.
The launch concluded with county leaders, law enforcement agencies, the Judiciary and civil society partners signing the Vihiga County SGBV Commitment Charter.
They pledged to take coordinated action against gender-based violence.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
Vihiga’s six-month campaign signals recognition that gender-based violence requires sustained community action, not just policy statements. With 34 per cent of women having experienced physical violence since the age of 15, the county faces a serious protection challenge.
The key test will be whether awareness translates into safer reporting, timely justice, effective survivor support and accountability for perpetrators. The recovery centre provides a foundation, but lasting progress will depend on resources, coordination and measurable results.
