Stakeholders Call for Stronger, Survivor-Centered Response to SGBV in Mukuru kwa Ruben

 

Last Thursday, Ruben FM convened a stakeholder engagement meeting on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), bringing together 20 participants from the Mukuru kwa Ruben community and organizations actively working on SGBV prevention and response.

The meeting provided a space for open reflection on progress made since a similar engagement held in the third quarter of the year, as well as the gaps that still deny survivors justice.

Participants acknowledged improvements at the Gender Desk at Ruben Police Station, noting better reception and handling of cases compared to previous months. However, concerns were raised over the continued charging of P3 forms, which are legally supposed to be issued free of charge. Stakeholders agreed that this practice discourages survivors, especially those from low-income households, from pursuing justice.

The need to deliberately engage men in SGBV conversations was strongly emphasized, with participants observing that majority of reported cases are perpetrated by men, yet prevention efforts often leave men out. It was agreed that meaningful change will only happen when men are part of the dialogue, accountability, and solutions.

Another key concern was the operation of the police Gender Desk. Stakeholders called for the desk to be fully operational on a 24-hour basis, citing cases where survivors of sexual violence are turned away at night or referred to chiefs’ offices instead of receiving immediate police assistance. Such referrals, participants said, compromise evidence collection and place survivors at further risk.

Some participants also accused a few female police officers at the station of harassing community members, including good Samaritans who create awareness and support survivors of SGBV. This, they noted, creates fear and undermines trust between the community and law enforcement.

One example cited involved a middle-aged man who exposed his genitals to young girls aged between five and eight years in Lunga Lunga area. Although the case was reported, police reportedly dismissed it on the grounds that there was no penetration. Stakeholders noted that such responses highlight gaps in understanding sexual violence laws and the need for continuous training of duty bearers.

 

The meeting further raised alarm over the persistence of “kangaroo courts,” with participants stating that these informal justice practices have shifted from the community into some police stations within Embakasi South. According to the stakeholders, survivors are often pushed to settle cases outside the legal system, denying them justice and allowing perpetrators to walk free. Places of worship, including churches and mosques, were also accused of promoting out-of-court settlements in the name of reconciliation, thereby denying survivor’s lawful access to justice.

Despite these challenges, participants agreed that Mukuru kwa Ruben has made notable progress due to sustained awareness creation.

Several solutions were proposed during the meeting. Parents were urged to build open relationships with their children and speak to them regularly about safety and boundaries, with one participant disclosing that over the last two months, 7 cases of early pregnancies have been reported within her jurisdiction . Participants also called for structured parenting education, stronger collaboration between parents, teachers, and the community, and continued empowerment of residents through awareness and advocacy.

The engagement concluded with a shared commitment to keep pushing for survivor-centered justice, accountability from institutions, and sustained community education to end SGBV in Mukuru kwa Ruben, and Embakasi South Sub-County at large.