Gender-based violence in Kenya

This study was commissioned to determine the economic burden of gender-based violence to survivors in Kenya. Gender-based violence is one of the most widespread and socially tolerated forms of human rights violations, cutting across nationality, race, class, ethnicity, and religion. It is major source of inequality in Kenya today. It has a profound social and economic impact on families, communities, and the entire nation, as well as serious ramifications for national security. About 39 percent of women and girls in Kenya aged 15 and above have experienced physical violence, with approximately one in four experiencing such violence each year. Kenya has made significant strides regarding gender-based violence and other health-related human rights within its policy and legislative framework, especially under the 2010 constitution. However, this report is the first comprehensive study showing the cost of gender-based violence from the survivors' and perpetrators' perspectives.