By Eunice Magwambo
The findings were stark. When the Technical Working Group (TWG) on Femicide released its long-awaited report on 27 January 2026, it confirmed what many advocates had long feared: for many women, the greatest threat is not a stranger in the dark, but someone inside their own home.
The report shows that husbands account for 40.15 percent of femicide cases, making them the single most common perpetrators of lethal intimate partner violence. The statistics paint a troubling picture: the place meant to offer safety and protection is often where the danger begins.
Behind these numbers are lives forever altered.
In Nairobi, Phiona Adhiambo a mother of two and a survivor of rape and gender-based violence still remembers the night she nearly lost her life at the hands of the man she once loved and trusted. Her story is not just a personal account of survival. It mirrors a wider crisis unfolding quietly in homes across Kenya.
“I woke up one morning in a strange hospital bed, I didn’t know where I was. I had different clothes, it looked like a hospital but then again it wasn’t. A woman came up to me and said, don’t be scared, you are in safe hands. This is the Shining Hope for Communities, (SHOFCO) a safe house in Kibera. The only question I asked was “Are my children alive”,
Phiona narrates
Oliver Otieno, her husband, beat her to her death bed before fleeing their home. Phiona had gone to visit a friend that evening but returned late, this angered Oliver. He launched into Phiona kicks and blows in front of her children, he unleashed a barrage of kicks and blows on Phiona in front of her children, beating her until she collapsed unconscious. Then he picked up a wooden bat, striking her once on the head and again across the face, the second blow knocking out one of her teeth. On this night, the neighbours said enough is enough, they called SHOFCO for help.
The report reveals that 77% of cases, killings were committed by a person known by the victim. This data reinforces the alarming reality that women are most at risk of violence from people known to them. On the other hand, strangers or individuals with unknown relationships to the victims constitute 22.5%, underscoring the presence of random or opportunistic violence.
SHOFCO is a leading community-based organization mobilizing the largest network of social groups in Kenya to provide holistic, needs-driven services and redefine the potential of citizen-led change. Their main mandate is to empower individuals by addressing their essential physical, social, and economic needs, enabling them to lead their own sustainable change and thrive.
On December 10th 2024, a day dedicated to uphold dignity and freedom, International Human Rights Day, Amnesty International along with the Law Society of Kenya marched in the streets of Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) demanding justice from the Kenyan government for the rampant killings of women in the country. The crowd which was predominantly women demanded for urgency in investigating the murders, a call for perpetrators to be held accountable. The march was labelled #EndFemicideKE and #TotalShutdownKE.
The government responded to the #TotalShutdownKEmovement and the #EndFemicideKE campaign on10th January, 2025, by rolling out a special gazette notice with a 42-member Technical Working Group (TWG) Task Force, under the leadership of President William Ruto. The formation of the Technical Working Group on Gender Based Violence (GBV), which now includes femicide, is to play a critical role in identifying trends, hotspots, and causes contributing to GBV and femicide. It will also analyse the adequacy of current legal and policy frameworks, a critical step toward shaping national policy and force coordinated action to address gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide cases in the country.
Dr. Nancy Barasa, Former Deputy Chief Justice and Chair of the Presidential Task Force on gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide, affirmed that the Task Force methodology will contribute to the national reporting. Speaking in a Global webinar in October for UN-Women and UNESCO, Dr.Baraza highlighted that the report had been finalized and was ready to be presented to the President of the Republic of Kenya,
A UNESCO report in 2024, found that on average, one woman is killed every day in Kenya due to femicide. Similarly to data sourced by the Africa Data Hub, under Odipo Dev In Kenya, intimate partners and family members perpetrate the majority of killings. 77% of cases are killings were committed by a person known by the victim – an intimate partner, relative or friend. 68% of the perpetrators were currently or had previously been in an intimate relationship with the victim. Husbands, then boyfriends, are the biggest culprits. In only about 22% of cases, the woman was killed by a stranger or relationship is unknown.
The home is now the most dangerous place for women where 60% of all female deaths globally occur. Globally, every 10 minutes, a woman is killed by an intimate partner or family member, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Caroline Sakwa, is the head of gender and social inclusion at SHOFCO enjoys working in defence of the rights of women and children in Uganda. According to Caroline, she finds it very fulfilling and inspired by the resilience she sees in survivors. “What gives me most accomplishment is the resilience of survivors, community and improved mental health status of survivors.”
Caroline confirms she first learnt about the Technical Working Group on Gender Based Violence (GBV) task force through a gazette notice, where the government invited extensive public participation. She is hopeful the initiative will yield positive outcomes for civil society organizations like SHOFCO, particularly in mapping GBV hotspots and generating recommendations that can inform strategy and programming. She also sees potential for the task force’s work to influence budget allocations, including dedicated funding for safe houses for survivors. However, she cautions that the government should have prioritized preventive measures from the outset, rather than relying primarily on the task force.
The Definition of Discrimination Against Women
Femicide (or feminicide, as it is referred to in some contexts) is defined as an intentional killing with a gender-related motivation. It is different from homicide, where the motivation may not be gender-related. According to a UN Women report, in 2023, around 51,100 women and girls worldwide were killed by their intimate partners or other male family members (including fathers, mothers, uncles, and brothers). This means that, on average, 140 women or girls are killed every day by someone in their own family.
Kenyan law does not provide a definition of discrimination against women that is consistent with the Convention. Many of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) provisions have not yet been directly incorporated into Kenyan laws. Sections 82(1 & 2) of the Constitution of Kenya prohibit discrimination in law or by persons holding public office. Section 82(1) states that “no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect”
A Legal Roadmap To Femicide Solutions In Kenya
On March 9, 1984, Kenya ratified CEDAW. This was the first formal commitment to align national laws with international standards for women’s safety. States parties agree to take all appropriate measures, including legislation and temporary special measures, so that women can enjoy all their human rights and fundamental freedoms.
In 2006, the government of Kenya launched the Sexual Offence Act, an Act of Parliament to make provision about sexual offences, their definition, prevention, and the protection of all persons from harm from unlawful sexual acts, and for connected purposes. The law states that anyone found guilty of the term sexual assault is liable upon conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than ten years, but which may be enhanced to imprisonment for life.
The 2010 constitution states in Article 29 that every person “has the right to freedom and security of the person, which includes the right not to be, (c) subjected to any form of violence from either public or private sources; (d) subjected to torture in any manner, whether physical or psychological. Article 28 of the Constitution provides that every person has inherent dignity and the right to have that dignity respected and protected.
In June 2021, Kenya pledged to eliminate systemic barriers enabling GBV by 2026, in partnership with NGOs and Equality Now. As part of this commitment, the government introduced a GBV indicator into its performance contracts to improve institutional accountability. This aims to enhance the use of gender statistics in planning and evaluating programs on GBV and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Despite these steps, the 2014 Demographic and Health Survey revealed that 47% of Kenyan women had experienced GBV—highlighting the persistent gaps between policy and lived reality.
In 2023, Kenya signed the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (The Maputo Protocol) on the 17th of December 2003, but has not ratified it.
On the upside, the Technical Working Group supports the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 5) on Gender Equality, eliminating all violence against all women and girls. Kenya’s President William Ruto emphasised the need for action urgently, stating that the rise in GBV and femicide cases inflicts immense emotional and physical harm not only to individuals, but also to families and communities. The response is in line with Kenya’s constitutional Article 26 (Right to Life), where it says, every person has the right to life, “the life of a person begins at conception and a person shall not be deprived of life intentionally, except to the extent authorised by this Constitution or other written law”. The task force also supports Article 29 (Freedom and Security of Person), as critical in structuring the State’s response to these violations.
Systemic Failure and Limitations
Speaking at a Femicide conference hosted by Mawazo Institute, in Nairobi to mark the 16 Days Against Gender Abuse, AIG Donatha Kiplagat, carefully explained the challenges police officers face, “Femicide cases are treated as murder and that is where the problem stems from. We ignore the history of verbal abuse or stalking. When you come looking for data on femicide you do not find any because femicide is treated as murder.”
Another gap AIG Donatha highlighted was that when survivors report cases to the first responders, our officers sometimes show bad attitudes or expect bribes. Survivors tend to withdraw and might fail to get justice.
“All this while I was being abused, I did not know I had rights. There was a law to protect me, I could actually report this to a police station, says Phiana. She had only lived with her husband for a year when he began his verbal abuse, progressively transitioning towards physical abuse. “This was not his first time hitting me, I was very scared of him and what he might do to my children. I did not know I could report him to the police,
Less than 40 per cent of the women who experience violence seek help of any sort and over 60 per cent of countries still lack rape laws based on the principle of consent.
According to a study done by Legal Consultant and Human Rights Advisor Sydey Etima Ojara and Researcher Dr. Fredrick Derek Sekindi on court judgements on women’s access to justice in Gender Based Violence (GBV) cases, says GBV and Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) cases tend to fall under other offences such as murder, trafficking and aggravated robbery etc. Hence the on-going advocacy to clarify the GBV definition.
The highest number of victims of intimate partner/family member femicide was recorded in Africa in 2023 with 21,700 (18,600–24,600) victims, followed by Asia with 18,500 (16,200–20,700), the Americas with 8,300 (8,100–8,500), Europe with 2,300 (2,100–2,400) and Oceania with 300 (282–420) victims. Africa continues to record the highest number of victims in aggregate terms, although it is advisable to interpret the regional estimates with caution, as they are subject to significant uncertainty given persistent limitations in terms of data availability, according to a report published by the UNWomen in 2023.
Globally, 29 economies around the world have enacted laws that address femicide. Among the 3.97 billion women living across 190 economies, only a small fraction, approximately 450 million reside in countries where legal protections against femicide are in place. This translates to a global statistic where merely 11 out of every 100 women are legally safeguarded against femicide.
Mercy Mwikali, a police officer in Kibera, Kenya sits at the child protection and gender desk office. She attests to the number of GBV cases they receive in a week, and majorly child defilement cases. According to her, the gender desk in the police station handles gender issues, but not murder, and especially not femicide.
After recovering from the rescue centre, Phiona was encouraged to file for a case against her husband, she was terrified but determined. Yet when the matter was presented to court she failed to show up for the hearing session. “I was advised by the police officers that such matters don’t end well in court, the man will be released on bond and the money will go to the court. I will not gain anything and he will be scot free in a matter of days. I needed to be compensated but mostly I needed justice and protection”.
The reason why Phiona agreed to settle this matter outside court, is because of the advice a fellow police woman told her. “I demanded a payment of KES 50,000/= for all damages including my lost tooth. The family of the accuser was only willing to pay her KES 30,000/=. Her husband, represented by his mother, accepted these terms and paid the sum in two installments.
The Government Must Prioritise Gender Based Violence – A Reactive Response Is not A Long Term Solution
Ending femicide requires a multipronged approach that involves the government, law enforcement, the judiciary, communities, and civil society, and it would include strengthening law enforcement. The government must prioritise gender-based violence cases, ensuring thorough investigations and swift prosecution of perpetrators. Specialized GBV desks in police stations must be adequately resourced and staffed with trained officers.
Wafula Nafula, a fierce advocate for gender equality and human rights, terms the response from the government as a “tick box exercise with no political willingness”. She adds, “The response was reactivated and it was too late, the government saw this as a risk factor not to trigger more protest. I do not have high hopes with this report because it has a poor public participation framework. We want laws targeting femicide as a stand alone crime.”
Njeri Migwi, the co-founder of Usikimye initiative, a sanctuary for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (GBV) in Kenya, agrees. “The TWG response is rhetoric from the government. The formulation of the task force lacked inclusivity from the start, we wrote a policy brief, a legal framework brief and a mortuary brief with 96 areas of recommendations. We need to review this report first and see if all of our recommendations were put in place. The process lacked transparency and accountability. I’m eager to see how that report will reflect on GBV.”
Without survivor voices, a femicide task force could lose its purpose.
Siasa Place, an civil society group that was involved in the public participation of the Technical Working Group (TWG), also noted some gaps in the formulation of the task force and the main agenda is set to solve.
“The technical working group feels like a rushed initiative that lacks accountability and even a dedicated data system, which makes effective policy-making impossible,” said Judy Achieng, an officer with Siasa Place. “Its composition also leaves out the most important voices of survivors and activists who should be at the center to ensure the issues are properly understood and addressed. They should have considered people who have been on the forefront of the Femicide war, people like Njeri Migwi. The group formation seemed political and it does not have a plan to fix systemic failures.”
Amnesty International’s Executive Director Houghton Irungu was at the forefront of the #EndFemicideKe match and this is what he had to say. “As Amnesty International we call for the immediate release of the Task Force Report. We hope to see legislative charge as a distinct category within our criminal books. We want to see investment particularly in safe houses and spaces with zero tolerance and compliance with the law of prosecution of people who have been found guilty.
As a way towards progress, Houghton Irungu advises the push for constituencies to put pressure on the office of the Deputy President. “The report is still with him and we need to see parliamentarians openly calling for the finalization of the report. If we had femicide as a separate law, then we would necessitate the infrastructure that the police could use to end femicide.
“As we wait for the report from the government, my plea to them is on law enforcement. This is why many women in Kibera do not report Gender Abuse Cases. These men are released on bond at the police station; most of these cases do not reach the court house and that is where we have a problem as vulnerable women. I don’t know if anything will ever change, Phiona attests.
Eunice Magwambo is a storytelling journalist with over 7 years of experience in data research, OSINT tools and Visualization. She is a 2025 Solutions Journalism Network Fellow writing on solutions story and governance issues.
With a deep commitment to media integrity, she holds verified certifications in news verification and combating misinformation. Currently, Eunice empowers journalists by facilitating training on digital storytelling and the ethical integration of AI tools. She has trained journalist under Wanadata, Internews and Baraza Media Lab.
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