Communities in Kiambu County have been cautioned to guard against Gender based violence (GBV) since it is a vice that could destroy families, thus causing untold suffering if it was not nipped in the bud.
Violence in homes has been blamed for causing pain to innocent children and it should be avoided at all costs according to the Children Coordinator for Kiambu County Ms.Rose Barine.
While addressing the Kiambu County Development Implementation Coordination Committee (CDICC) yesterday at the County commissioner’s boardroom during a precursor meeting to KCPE scheduled on March 22nd the coordinator cautioned that children belonged to everyone in the community and that no-one should see a child suffering and cast a blind eye.’ “Everyone is a custodian to the children”she emphasized.
The officer reiterated that children required a peaceful environment for them to grow up well so that they are able to concentrate in class.You should therefore all take precautions that all children in your neighbourhood are not exposed to any violence, said Ms.Barine
GBV is violence directed to a person’s biological sex or gender identity and occurs in various forms, with most rampant cases being physical and sexual violence.
Pastor Chris Nzau, from Murera African Inland Church in Kiambu talking to KNA from the church yesterday after the midweek prayers said “the church was also at liberty to deal with cases concerning gender based violence if the vice was reported by anybody experiencing it”.
“The church influences the masses through family life teachings and acting as a role model.He further noted that most religious leaders and marriage counsellors were influential in family guidance, marriage and couple reconciliation, thus making the men of the clothe key players in the fight against gender based violence.”the pastor noted
Jackline Ndambuki, a women church leader on her part said she was glad that in the church, during leaders elections, women had their own committee proposals. She explained further that, women choosing their own leaders guaranteed that there were no discrimination from the other gender or violence by those given positions to lead the flock.
Some of the other forms of the gender based violence apart from physical and sexual violence are verbal, socio-economic violence, emotionial,and psychological violence which can be addressed promptly through counselling before it got out of hand,she added.
A young man by the name Joseph Mwangi , though not his real name, has been a victim of gender based violence. He said that he never knew that even men faced gender based violence until it happened to him.
“For sometime, i wanted to be a make up artist. When i told my friends that i wanted to venture into the make up industry since it was vastly growing and it was paying well and had other good prospects, most of them had a stereotype on guys, as in men who are make up artists, and their sexual orientation,” said Mwangi.
He revealed that he received alot of negative comments from his friends. “Even though they did not say it directly, some of the comments they made irked me alot as i felt like they were calling me gay.
“The issue really traumatised me emotionally because to me, being a man who is a makeup artist does not have anything to do with my sexual orientation. The idea, he says, was just a good side hustle which I intended to try my hands on. However, Iam not sure if I still want to do it.”he said while regretting why those he associated with discouraged him from venturing into something he thought was going to put some food on the table for himself.
By Lydia Shiloya and Belinda Kioko
