Kenyan activists are on a mission to end gender-based violence as attacks on women surge
The IndependentFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Migwi is on the front lines of a war against a silent epidemic of gender-based violence in Kenya, where almost 60 women have been killed since the beginning of the year, according to the government. She says her work supporting and protecting survivors of gender-based violence feels like a drop in the ocean compared to the floodgate of victims seeking help daily. Migwi, a survivor of domestic violence herself, says she co-founded Usikimye in 2019 to rescue and assist Kenyan women who are silent victims of gender-based violence and who feel helpless and trapped in violent relationships. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when reported gender-based violence cases in Kenya shot up by 300%, the government reactivated special desks at police stations with officers especially trained to help fast track investigations cases of into gender-based violence to give survivors justice and deter perpetrators.