Strengthening Prevention and Response to Gender-based Violence in Kenya Programme
Strengthening Prevention and Response to Gender-based Violence (GBV) in Kenya is a € 6 million bilateral programme funded by the Governments of Finland and Kenya. This programme (2022-2024) is designed to reduce GBV and other harmful practices – strengthening systems and structures at national level and in the counties of Bungoma, Kilifi and Samburu –counties which were chosen due to their unique context, GBV concerns, and the goodwill demonstrated by their respective leadership.
This programme is designed to assist and protect those who are most vulnerable to GBV by strengthening capacity and improving coordination among duty bearers (individuals and institutions with an obligation to respect, protection and fulfill human rights obligations) while also increasing engagement of vulnerable groups, supporting empowerment of women and youth, and mobilizing and inspiring champions – especially men and boys for lasting transformational change.
The overall goal of the programme is to contribute to Kenya’s vision of eliminating FGM by 2024 and GBV by 2026, by strengthening the delivery of evidence-based interventions and improving access to quality prevention and response services – especially for the most vulnerable.
Expected outcomes of the Kenya-Finland Bilateral GBV Programme:
| 1 Improved capacity of duty bearers to identify, address, monitor and prevent GBV in the targeted counties. | 2 Improved governance and coordination, policy implementation, strategic planning, and budgeting for GBV at national level and in the targeted counties. | 3 Adequate and sustainable quality services and systems available in the targeted counties supported by effective national and county strategies and structures. | 4 Increased levels of engagement of marginalized groups, and champions, to support GBV prevention and response. |
The programme will support the country’s own systems, strategics, policies, and plans at national and county levels, and strengthen the link between both levels of government. This includes strengthening multi-sectoral collaboration and leadership - working across the socio-ecological model to serve the most vulnerable groups, with the evidence-based interventions that are responsive to changing GBV risk/vulnerability and prevention opportunities in each county. This includes following a human rights-based approach – helping duty bearers across the socio-ecological model to prevent GBV, and to identify, address, and deliver survivor-centred support. This requires collective leadership, with simultaneous, complimentary efforts by individuals, peer networks, families, and communities. By working at the system-level, the programme is seeking transformational change, whereby duty bearers know and fulfill their responsibilities in the prevention and response chain, and by working with rights holders to advance gender equality, support empowerment of women, and youth, and promote local champions for violence-free homes, schools, and communities.
Beneficiaries – legal and moral duty bearers are the key beneficiaries of the programme. Legal duty bearers include the institutions, and elected or appointed officials that ought to respect, protect and fulfil human rights because the state has the overall responsibility for meeting human rights obligations. While Moral duty bearers include those that have the power to affect the lives of others – including parents, heads of household, companies, leaders and civil society organizations.
IMPLEMENTING AGENCIES & ARRANGEMENTS:
The strategic leadership and decision-making are shared between the national level and the participating counties through the Programme Management Team (PMT) which is responsible for day-to-day implementation, and Steering Committee which serve as the supervisory body.
Membership of the Steering Committee includes
- Principal Secretary, SDGAA – Chair
- Head of Cooperation – Finland
- Chief Officer – Bungoma
- Chief Officer – Samburu
- Chief Officer – Kilifi
Membership in the Programme Management Team (PMT) includes:
- Programme Director
- Chief Technical Advisor
- Finance & Administration Manager
- Directors Gender, Bungoma: National & County
- Directors Gender, Kilifi: National & County
- Directors Gender, Samburu: National & County
- County Coordinators: Bungoma, Kilifi, Samburu
RESOURCES
Finland is contributing € 5million Euro (KES 626,003,505) and Kenya is contributing approximately € 1 million Euro (KES125,200,701) over the Inception and Implementation Phase of the programme. GOK’s contribution includes both financing and in-kind support such as office and other facilities.
COORDINATON & COOPERATION
This programme works within the platform of the respective Gender Sector Working Groups to strengthen multi-sectoral planning, collaboration, and action on GBV prevention and response - testing a new model for coordination that includes four key dimensions:
A New Model for Coordination with 4 Dimensions
| 1 | Supporting duty bearers to prioritize and plan services in accordance with GBV risk/vulnerability and prevention opportunities in the county. |
| 2 | Providing technical assistance to duty bearers to adapt and deliver services in accordance with changing needs – survivor-centred services linked to primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention. |
| 3 | Promoting and supporting collective leadership on policy implementation, working across the socio-ecological model to engage families, peer networks, and communities. |
| 4 | Learning from multi-sectoral efforts through improved linkages between the national and county GSWGs, and between the county and ward GSWGs. |
SUSTAINABILITY
This programme is an additional support to the GOK to achieve its policy objectives and programme implementation and is integrated in the existing systems at national and county level to ensure sustainability.
