Residents of Homa Bay County have been urged to step up efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS, defilement and gender-based violence.
Homa Bay County Public Health Officer Evelyn Ododa noted that the triple threat of teen pregnancies, HIV/AIDS, and defilement must be tackled decisively.
She said some girls drop out of school while others suspend their education due to pregnancy.
Ododa, who was accompanied by the Country Director of TIKO Kenya, Leah Wanaswa, called on stakeholders in the county to collaborate in the fight against triple threat, which ruins the lives of many girls in the county.
Speaking during a stakeholder meeting at Konyango Rabuor Trading Center in Ndhiwa Sub-county, Odada said everybody must now come on board to rescue girls from defilement.
“Defilement is a serious challenge in our county. We want all stakeholders including police, judiciary, national government administration officials, parents, residents, civil society and all other players on board to join hands in fighting against the vice,” Ododa said.
During the meeting, it was discovered that parental neglect predisposes girls to defilement.
“Negligence by parents and failure to provide basic needs to girls make them vulnerable. Some parents send girls out of home at night making them susceptible to sex pests,” Ododa added.
She urged parents to avoid abdicating their responsibilities of bringing up children adding that some of them perceived the role of raising children as belonging to one parent.
“A concern has been raised here that there are many families where fathers feel it is the responsibility of mothers to take care of their children. This also leads to defilement because it makes the girls lack support of one parent,” she said.
The official said they had established sexual and gender-based violence policies to guide the fight against gender-based violence.
“We urge the community members to report any incidents to help us reduce the triple threat in the county,” Wanaswa said.
Wanaswa told members of the community to sensitize residents on the danger of triple threat.
“Let us continue to create awareness in the community to enable families to know how to handle the triple threat incidents,” Wanaswa said.
By Davis Langat
