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Documenting Interlinkages between HIV & GBV

HIV, GBV & CONFLICT: Edition 1

Edition 1 of features on HIV, Gender based violence and conflict

Still Standing

Wednesday, 10 March 2010 12:46 African Woman & Child Feature Service

Beyond pain

As the post-election violence ranged on and scores of women sexually abused, a sizeable number of these women conceived and some carried the pregnancy to term. Two years have gone by and everyday these children grow bigger and soon some will begin to conceptualize what constitutes a ‘normal’ family.

There are those who will call out for ‘baba’ (father) and these women; survivors of hideous violations will continuously remember their nightmare even though the physical pain and injuries have long healed. Yet they will have no answer for their little one. Add a comment

Bumpy road to justice for violence survivors

Thursday, 04 March 2010 14:08 Faith Muiruri

According to women right activists, gender based violence in the country

continues to receive little attention due to the low statistical evidence on the number of survivors. On a chilly Tuesday evening in 2002, Miriam Wangui was convulsed in shock after she was gang raped.

Wangui says that she was in a vehicle that got carjacked “We were carjacked sometime back in 2002 and the gang ordered all men to leave after relieving them of their valuables. I was however, held hostage and raped at gun point. Add a comment

Community based initiatives to fight vice

Thursday, 04 March 2010 13:23 Corrine Nyawira

The community leaders flow in one by one into the social hall in Mashimoni and as they receive their workshop materials including a simplified version of the Sexual Offences Act 2006,one can only hope that it will make a difference to in this slum which was a hot spot during the post election violence.

Risper Awino is an elder and chairlady for the local women’s group in Mashimoni and says that the community forums over the last two years have been numerous, however she says those on gender based violence have hit closer home due to the number of women sexually abused during the political chaos. Add a comment

Towards eliminating gender based violence

Thursday, 04 March 2010 13:20 Faith Muiruri

Although it is an experience she would rather forget, she knows all too well that the memory of that fateful ordeal will follow her to her grave.

Every so often the bitterness and the pain overwhelm her as justice remains a mirage.

“I was raped, starved and subjected to 70 strokes of the cane for six days nonstop,” begins Mercy Wangui as she recounts the harrowing ordeal in the hands of the famous Naivasha vampire. Add a comment

Violence victim now peace ambassador

Thursday, 04 March 2010 12:26 Faith Muiruri

Regina Omonge, 36, will not relent until she succeeds in her campaign to promote peaceful co-existence among the various communities residing in Busia irrespective of their ethnic background.

And she has every reason to undertake the spirited campaign as she was among thousands of people who were displaced at the height of the post election violence in 2007.

“I opted to venture into peace building initiatives after I was subjected to a harrowing ordeal during the eruption of violence that saw innocent people lose their dear lives and properties for reasons best known to the perpetrators of the post election violence”, says Omonge, adding that all her tools of trade were burnt beyond recognition whereas some were looted by armed youths. Add a comment