More needs to be done to tame Femicide

By Moses Muli

Published: January 18,2024 11:07 AM

Opinion

Femicideis defined as the killing of a woman or a girl, in particular by a man on account of her gender by the Oxford dictionary.

Femicide is driven by stereotyped gender roles, discrimination towards women and girls, unequal power relations between women and men or harmful social norms.

In the latest incident, Rita Waeni Muendo , a 20-year-old university students was murdered and the case has illicited an uproar, coming on the backdrop of another murder just days before. The Directorate of criminal investigation is working tirelessly to unravel the motive behind the spate all this murders this happening in a span of a week after another girl 26 year old Scarlet Wahu was murdered in a short stay house commonly known as AirBnB in south B by a her suitor.

Women and men have come out to take a stand against brutality being meted out on women and called for action.

The Federation of Women Lawyers of Kenya (FIDA) has condemned the femicide cases. 

Addressing the media on Tuesday in Nairobi, the lawyers led by FIDA Executive Director Anne Ireri and Vice Chairperson Christine Kungu called on the government to conduct investigations on the recent incidences. They also demanded the protection of women and girls and a safer environment created for them. 

Research carried out by the UNWOMEN showed that in 2022, around 48,800 women and girls worldwide were killed by their intimate partners or family members. 

This translates to at least 133 women or girls being killed by someone they know every day.

Africa alone recorded a total of 20,000 victims.

In October last year, Jennifer Mwende Musila, a hair dresser at Mlolongo aged 29, was murdered and her body dumped in a pit latrine. Forensic investigations showed Mwende was strangled to death.

In another incident a 24-year-old woman’s body was found mutilated and stuffed in a paper bag off Thika Road in Nairobi. 

According to FIDA 10 cases of femicide have been reported in the media in the past year.

With women feeling unsafe and scared of trusting their dates, there are measures that can be put in place to enhance their safety:

According to the UNWOMEN, femicide can be prevented through, “primary prevention initiatives focused on transforming harmful social norms and engaging whole communities and society to create a zero tolerance for violence against women.”

Other measures that can be adopted include;

• Women should avoid planning meetings with strangers. If you are going on a date, inform a family member or friend. It’s safer if someone accompanies you especially if it’s a first date. The more information you have of your date the better.
•  Public spaces may feel like they lack privacy, but for the first couple of dates it’s okay to go that route. Moreover, if online dating doesn’t work for you then don’t do it
• Women are advised to stay vigilant, especially in this era where online dating is fast taking over the old and traditional dating system. If you spot a red flag, don’t ignore it and stay away from the person