WEBINAR CONCEPT NOTE
#16DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER BASED VIOLENCE
2021:THE EFFECT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON THE WORK PLACE
1ST – 10TH DECEMBER 2021
We need to stand together, and keep moving forward, until women and girls can live
free of fear, violence and discrimination - able to make their own choices, and
empowered to raise their own voice.”
Michelle Bachelet, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 2019
Background
Achieving gender equality, and the empowerment of all women and girls, is not only a key human
rights issue it is also one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (Goal 5) - and one of the elements
mainstreamed throughout the whole of Agenda 2030, as the central claim of “Leaving No One
Behind” will not be achieved without reaching Goal 5.
Marginalized, discriminated against and victims of physical and psychological violence, the situation
of these women and girls is further aggravated by the difficulty of accessing formal justice and
obtaining reparation. Contributing factors include limited knowledge of their rights; difficulty in
accessing public services; improper conduct by police; personal fear - for example, of the perpetrator;
and taboos and social traditions surrounding the issue.
In most cases, violence against women is deeply rooted in systemic discrimination, including social
norms that tolerate it and fail to provide support to women and to victims. Moreover, despite
ongoing efforts to change the situation, governments often face difficulties in effectively
implementing laws and programmes to address violence against women, either directly or indirectly,
in both rural communities and urban areas.
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign, led by the United Nations, aims
to raise awareness of this phenomenon, generally defined as any act of violence that results in, or is
likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women - including threats
of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life.
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This webinar will provide a more in-depth look at the role of social protection in
responding to GBV and share some practice-based learning from practitioners on the
ground.
Objectives of the webinar:
1. Draw attention to the critical challenges to preventing and responding to GBV
and advocate for solidarity around girls’ and women’s rights and the fight
against gender-based violence.
2. Government actors to commit to strengthen the prevention, risk and response
to GBV and ensure the rights of women and girls are central to humanitarian
action
3. Pinpoint key issues, opportunities and approaches for addressing GBV in social
protection responses to crises.
4. Promote community engagement and ownership in addressing sexual and
gender based violence.
5. Strengthen coordination among actors in the criminal justice system, medical
and community services to adequately handle gender based violence cases.
6. Ensure effective accountability for results.
Scope and areas of strategic focus
There should be a proposed joint program on Response to Gender Based Violence in Kenya.
The response will have a strategic focus on the following;
Prevention, addressing underlying structural and systemic obstacles to the
enjoyment of rights by girls and women through a community based approach providing
women and girls, boys and men the opportunity to live in dignity and safety.
Greater effectiveness and accountability for results.
Harmonization of processes through effective coordination mechanisms.
Strengthening of established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), in particular
One-Stop Rape Centers
Accountability for results
- Engagement of CSOs in the active implementation of the program, with clear
reporting lines to the Ministry of Gender.
- Ensuring effective monitoring and reporting mechanisms to track progress
against set targets; Baselines must be established from the start and tracked
periodically. The program will seek to strengthen reporting mechanisms through the
deployment of the GBV and establishment of standardized reporting protocols.
- Participatory community reviews and appraisal of progress against set community targets
based on action plans that will be developed.
Establishing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
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- Strengthen overall service delivery at the national and county levels with the
establishment of more dedicated courts to try rape and other forms of GBV.
- Establishment of One-stop rape centers, ensuring their institutional readiness to support
survivors.
Overarching questions:
1. What practices and initiatives are being undertaken at a national or regional level to address
gender-based violence? Please provide examples.
2. How can these practices and initiatives be brought to the Human Rights Organisations’
attention so that other countries can learn from them?
3. To what extent have the Human Rights Organisations’ actions (mechanisms, resolutions,
panel discussions) had an impact/effect on national policies aimed at reducing gender-based
violence? Please provide examples of good practices as well as positive experiences in this
regard.
4. Have knowledge tools developed by the UN human rights system been used in the
development of the implementation framework for Goal 5 ?
5. How could the Human Rights Organisations be more effective in Kenya? Should new tools or
mechanisms be envisaged, and if so what could they be? To what extent may the
Organisations play a preventive role in Kenya?
Speakers:
1. Ms. Eva Odongo - Advocate, SOROPTIMIST
2. Ms. Caren Kulola - Lawyer
3. Dr. Sarah Kinyanjui - Director, University of Nairobi, Mombasa campus
4. - Mombasa Law Society
5. - Federation of Kenya Employers
6. - Central Organisation of Trade Unions
7. - Federation of Women Lawyers
8. - Health Sector
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Agenda
Introduction and Background Moderator : Ms. Eva
Odongo
Brief Presentation on GBV Ms. Caren Kulola
Academic Perspective on GBV- How it affects Students and Staff Dr. Sarah Kinyanjui
Members
Opportunities for research under the issue of GBV at Campus
Is there a need for research and the available opportunities?
What are the benefits of conducting the research ?
What are the opportunities?
Proposals you can make
Professional Perspective on GBV – How it affects members Mombasa Law Society
Responsibilities as a Professional Organisation to;
Members as Victims
Members as perpetrators
Effects on Workplace productivity and Business profitability
Proposals you can make
Responsibilities of Employers Federation of Kenya
- Staff as Victims Employers
- Staff as Perpetrators
Effects on Workplace productivity and Business Profitability
Proposal you can make
Responsibilities of the Union Central Organisation of
- When an Employer is the Perpetrator Trade Unions
- When an Employee is a Perpetrator
- When Employee is a Victim
Proposals you can make
Legal Perspective and Position Federation of
Way Forward on what can be done Women
Commentary on; Lawyers
Research on GBV among Tea Pickers in Kericho
Research on GBV among Casual labourers in flower
Farms in Naivasha
Medical Perspective and Position Health Sector
How do you handle cases of GBV?
Proposals you can make
Q&A (15 minutes) Moderator: Ms.
Eva Odongo
Closing Moderator : Ms. Eva
Odongo
