International Women’s Day: How femicide threatens women’s gains in Kenya

Kenya’s celebration of International Women’s Day has been dimmed by the growing problem of femicide, which is threatening to snowball into a national crisis, according to reports on the killing of women in the country. This now threatens to lock the country from achieving one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

According to the UN, femicide is a form of violence against women and girls that is a violation of UN Sustainable Development Goal 5, which aims to achieve gender equality.

A new report on the killing of women in Kenya in January indicated that the problem only seems to be getting worse despite unprecedented media coverage and public discourse surrounding the matter, with data showing that 2024 recorded the highest number of murders of girls and women.

The research report titled "Silencing Women: Tracking and humanising femicide cases in Kenya", by Odipodev, a data analytics and research firm and independent investigative media company Africa Uncensored, notes that the researchers compiled 170 cases in 2024 alone – excluding the Kware cases. The records included 18 cases confirmed by the Mukuru Social Justice Centre, in which Collins Jumaisi Khalusa later confessed to killing 42 women.

"Violence is evolving, with perpetrators leaning into more accessible, intimate, and brutal methods. There's been an increase in the number of cases that involve sexual assault prior to murder, by 7 per cent. The same goes for hacking, with a 6 per cent increase in prevalence," notes the report.

President William Ruto on Saturday reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to empowering women and girls.

In a message to mark International Women’s Day, Ruto said the goal is not just to enhance equality and justice but also to ensure a more inclusive and prosperous society.

“We remain resolute in our quest to breaking barriers, expanding opportunities and fostering an environment where every woman and girl can thrive, lead and realise their full potential,” he stated.

Husbands leading perpetrators

According to the report, it was found out that husbands still lead as perpetrators, and there's an almost 75 per cent chance that a woman will be killed by someone that she knows; a family member, friend or intimate partner.

"Younger women remain the prime target. More than half the number of the women killed last year were aged 30 and below. This troubling trend continues to draw attention to societal protections and the factors that make young women disproportionately at risk," notes the report.

In a bid to solve the problem of femicide, Ruto recently appointed a 42-member task force to address the alarming rise in femicide cases in the country.

The team, led by former deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza, has been mandated to assess, review, and recommend measures to strengthen the institutional, legal, and policy response to gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide.

The team will report to Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and is expected to submit its findings and recommendations to the President within 90 days.

Ruto, in the gazette notice, emphasised the urgent need for action.

Other Topics To Read

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• International Women's Day
• GBV
• women rights
• UN Sustainable Development Goals
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"The rise in GBV and femicide cases inflicts immense emotional and physical harm on individuals and communities, further deepening gender inequalities," he said.

Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Faith Odhiambo suggests that the first step towards ending femicide is institutionalising continuous awareness campaigns.

“This will lead to a seamless transition from short-term activism to long-term community sensitisation programs that engage local leaders, schools, and faith-based organisations to challenge harmful norms and practices,” says Odhiambo.

She also notes that the first thing that is important to do is acknowledge that this is not merely a government problem, but a societal problem.

“We must introspect on the innate factors that affect our moral threading to the point of abandoning humanity when perpetrating heinous acts of violence against women. Blame cannot be apportioned and assigned in these circumstances, it can only be shared,” she adds.

The latest report from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN Women, released on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the start of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, shows that femicide is rising around the world.