The government has appointed marathon legend Catherine Ndereba and football star Essie Akida to a 12-member committee to create policies against gender-based violence in sports and the country.
The newly established advisory committee is tasked with tackling the growing femicide crisis that has plagued the country’s sports sector, particularly targeting women athletes.
The appointments were formalised through a Gazette Notice issued on Friday, November 22, 2024. This Committee will be led by Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Principal Secretary Peter Tum. Other key members include marathon legend Catherine Ndereba, football star Essie Akida, academic Paul Ochieng, and Barbara Malowa.
The Secretariat is headed by Diana Watila, with Catherine Njeri Maina, Lorna Tanui, Fardhosa Hassan Boru, and Patricia Arisi also playing vital roles.
The Committee is essential in addressing gender-based violence (GBV) in sports. Its primary task is to implement the January 2022 report on Gender Welfare and Equity in Sports and to develop effective GBV policies for sports organizations. It will conduct gender analysis and audits to assess how institutions are managing gender issues.
Additionally, the Committee will promote gender mainstreaming and advocate for a safe environment for female athletes, ensuring protective policies against violence and exploitation. It plans to host workshops and training sessions to educate athletes and sports personnel on unconscious bias and gender-related issues.
The Committee’s work will last for three years, with the option of an extension. It will monitor the progress of gender initiatives, evaluate their effectiveness, and report on gender equality in sports. Overall, the Committee aims to create lasting change by addressing GBV and fostering a culture of equality and respect in the sports sector.
This committee comes on the heels of tragic events that have shocked the nation and the global sports community. Kenyan athletes, including Olympic medalist Agnes Tirop and distance runner Damaris Mutua, were victims of domestic violence and ultimately murdered by intimate partners.
In September, the world was horrified by the case of Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei, who was doused in petrol and set ablaze by her ex-boyfriend. Cheptegei's death marked the third case of a female athlete in Kenya killed allegedly by their partner in just three years.
The tragic killings have brought the issue of violence against female athletes into the spotlight, especially after a slew of incidents resulting in the death of at least 97 women at the hands of their lovers this year.
A 2018 World Health Organization report revealed that 38 per cent of women aged 15 to 49 had experienced violence from an intimate partner. In 2021, the then President Uhuru Kenyatta declared GBV a national crisis, but despite efforts to curb it, the violence continues.
A 2023 survey by Africa Data Hub reported over 500 cases of women being killed in Kenya, with 75 per cent of those murders committed by someone known to the victim.
