Kenyan Online Campaign Calls for Peace and Cessation of Violence Against Women in Politics

Electoral-related sexual violence (ERSV), defined by UN Women, is a form of sexual violence as form of sexual violence associated with electoral processes to influence or achieve a political end during the election seasons. Since the 1990s, ERSV has been prevalent during elections in Kenya. In a 2017 report by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, 201 cases of sexual violence were documented during the Kenya general elections in the month of August. In this special edition of Our Voices co-produced Kenya-based and VOA affiliate KTN News, Queenter Mbroi of KTN alongside Our Voices’ co-host VOA’s Ndimyake Mwakalyelye spoke to Honorable Esther Passaris and Alex Gakuru about curbing online abuse, harassment, and violence against female politicians. Honorable Passaris, a member of the Kenya Women Parliament Association – KEWOPA, stresses the importance of more female representation in politics. Mr. Gakuru, director of the Centre for Law in Information Technology – CLAW-IT, speaks on the #HeshimuDada campaign in collaboration with Google Kenya. He discusses the objective of this initiative which is to build resilience amongst women in politics and eliminate electoral-related sexual violence.