Despite the high number of Kenyans in need of legal aid services there still remains a significant challenge with accessing legal information, advice and legal representation. While the government does provide legal aid services to indigent persons, it does so in a limited manner.

CREAW’s Maternal and Neonatal Health (MNH) program dubbed Tunza Mama Na Mtoto, which translate to “care for the mother and her newborn baby” is implemented in partnership with Anglican development services of Mt Kenya East (ADSMKE) through funding from DFID and Christian Aid in Isiolo County. The project aims at improving maternal and newborn health outcome for vulnerable women and babies. The project works to increase demand, access, and uptake of quality MNH services within the targeted 32 health facilities in Garbatula, Merti and Isiolo Central subcounties through empowerment of women and girls to make healthy MNH choices, sensitization of communities to stem the barriers that prevent access to MNH services and enhance accountability of MNH services at all levels.

According to a report on gender based violence in Kilifi and Meru counties conducted by the Center for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW) in
2017, cases of early marriages, child prostitution, female genital mutilation and teenage pregnancies catapulted by the deeply enrooted cultural barriers strongly contributes to gender inequality. “Such issues affect attendance and performance of girls in school. This is also reflected in the low rates of enrollment, transition and retention of girls in school as compared to their male counterparts,” states the report.

Gender based violence is one of the most prevalent human rights violations not only in Kenya but across various parts of the developing world. It knows no social, economic, class or cultural confinement and status. It occurs in families, schools, work places, social structures and communities regardless of one’s religion, gender, race, creed or political persuasion and inclinations. Women and girls, and to a lesser degree men and boys, either directly and or indirectly experience or face the impact of some form of gender based violence. Gender based violence involves a wide variety of agents and actors from intimate partners and family members, to strangers and institutional actors such as teachers, pastors, office managers,
seniors leaders, religious leaders and the police.

Despite its adverse effects on the survivors, gender based violence (GBV) is still the least talked about violation of mainly women’s and girl’s human rights. It remains largely unreported or in reported instances, retracted and “amicably” settled.

Family institutions serve as basis for communal structures yet the scourge of violence between men and women as a result of inequality cultured by the gendered norms seems to tear down structures that build the communities. In the wake of the scourge, women and girls are mostly affected.