By Khadija Mbesa
A Campaign to stop violence against children launched in Nairobi.
The Ministry of Public Service, Gender, Senior Citizens Affairs and Special Programs, CS Prof. Margaret Kobia will grace the launch at Kibera primary school, The campaign that was dubbed Spot it, Stop it! is spearheaded by the Directorate of Children Services (DCS), and has so far been launched in the counties of West Pokot, Baringo, Turkana and Garissa.
Despite an overall decrease in levels of violence, over the past ten years, against children in Kenya, prevalence rates remain worryingly high across the country, especially in informal settlements where cases impaled during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Covid-19 situation presented unequalled challenges that extended physical and psychological abuse related to family confinement, isolation and economic vulnerability.
In response, the Ministry in collaboration with social development partners developed a National Prevention and Response Plan to reduce the prevalence of violence against Children (VAC) by the year 2023 and the campaign has come in handy to promote change in norms, attitudes and behavior that discourage the vice in society.
93 per cent of these cases were mainly related to physical abuse. Other reported cases were early marriages, FGM, emotional and sexual abuse.
It is noted that, most children do not report cases of violence or seek assistance.
This Campaign aims to provide information to children and public on the reporting channels to expose child abuse, empower survivors and caregivers to report cases of VAC, promote positive perception and practices among primary caregivers to prevent abuse of children and provide information on available services for children.
The ministry has committed to establishing new partnerships and collaborations in key areas that will seek to protect, and serve the interest of the children in the country.https://www.kbc.co.ke/campaign-to-stop-violence-against-children-launched-in-nairobi/