LSK, FIDA and Civil Society Groups Warn of Rising Femicide Cases in Kenya

Several civil society organisations in Kenya have called on the government to urgently address the growing cases of femicide and violence against women and girls across the country.

In a joint statement released in Nairobi on Wednesday, May 20 2026, rights groups warned that the crisis has reached alarming levels and needs immediate national intervention.

The statement was issued by groups including the Law Society of Kenya, Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya, Kenya Human Rights Commission, Siasa Place, and other partners.

Rising Femicide Cases Raise Alarm

The organisations highlighted several cases of women who were killed in 2025 and 2026, including Sylvia Kemunto, Anita, Rose Benter Apondi, and Rachel Wandeto.

According to statistics shared by FIDA-Kenya and Amnesty International Kenya, 35 out of 70 weekly violence cases reported in 2026 are linked to gender-based violence committed by intimate partners.

The groups said at least eight femicide cases are reported every week in Kenya, meaning one woman or girl is killed every day.

“Most perpetrators are intimate partners or family members, and many cases happen at home, indicating systemic failures in protection and resolution methods,” the statement said.

Civil Society Groups Say Many Cases Go Unreported

The organisations said many femicide and gender-based violence cases are never reported.

They also raised concern that femicide is not recognised as a separate crime in Kenya. Most cases are instead recorded as homicides without identifying the gender-related motive behind the killings.

“There is still a lot of underreporting, and femicide is not recognised as its own crime,” the statement added.

The groups said this has made it difficult to properly track cases and ensure justice for victims and their families.

Also Read: Who is Killing Our Women? 10 Recent Femicide Cases Expose the Crisis

Concerns Over Failure to Implement Recommendations

The organisations acknowledged President William Ruto for creating the Technical Working Group on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.

However, they accused the government of failing to implement the recommendations made by the team after the report was launched on January 26, 2026.

“We are deeply concerned that the President has not acted on the group’s key recommendations, such as declaring GBV and Femicide a national crisis, even as the numbers continue to rise,” the statement read.

The groups also criticised government agencies for failing to provide updates on measures taken to fight gender-based violence and femicide.

Civil Groups Issue Six Demands

The organisations gave the government 40 days to take action and listed several demands.

Declare GBV and Femicide a National Crisis

The groups called on President Ruto to officially declare gender-based violence and femicide a national crisis.

They said this would help the public understand the seriousness of the issue and allow emergency resources to be released.

Create a GBV Fund

The organisations also demanded the creation of a special national fund to support survivors and prevent violence against women and girls.

They said the fund should support prevention programmes, response services, and survivor care.

Set Up Rapid Response Teams

The groups urged the Ministry of Gender to create rapid response systems to support survivors and families of victims.

They also called for the establishment of one-stop GBV centres in counties heavily affected by violence.

The centres would provide shelters, legal aid, medical support, counselling, and rehabilitation services.

Police Asked to Improve Accountability

The organisations also challenged the National Police Service to provide updates on investigations into femicide and GBV cases.

They asked police to strengthen specialised units handling such crimes and improve training for officers dealing with victims.

Also Read:Legal Explainer: Why Pregnant Women Cannot Be Sentenced to Death in Kenya

Groups Threaten Protests and Legal Action

The civil society groups warned that they will organise nationwide peaceful protests if the government fails to act within 40 days.

They also threatened to file a Strategic Interest Litigation case to force the government to fulfil its legal responsibility to protect women and girls.

“If there is no action within the next 40 days, we will organise peaceful protests across the country,” the statement warned.

The organisations urged both national and county governments, security agencies, faith groups, civil society, and the public to work together to stop the violence.

“Every delay means another tragedy that could have been avoided,” the groups said.

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Civil Society Groups Demand Urgent Action on Femicide in Kenya
PHOTO/FIDA-Kenya