State Department for Gender

29/05/2026

KENYA ADOPTS AGREED CONCLUSIONS OF THE 70TH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN (CSW70).
Friday, May 29, 2026
NAIROBI

Kenya has strongly endorsed the agreed conclusions of the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women ( ) and outlined a national framework to strengthen women's and girls' access to justice as well as interventions for addressing gender-based violence ( ).

In a communique jointly signed by Chief Justice Martha K. Koome and CS Hanna Cheptumo during a national stakeholders post forum, Kenya committed to confronting structural barriers that prevent women and girls from obtaining justice, describing access to justice as not merely a legal matter but a core national development priority, human rights imperative and a foundation for peace, inclusion and shared prosperity.

The forum adopted a five-pillar strategy built on Prevention, Protection, Accountability, Healing and Empowerment to advance a comprehensive national response to women's and girls' access to justice setting the stage for the implementation of key priority actions.

Through the prevention pillar, Kenya will focus on community engagement and dialogues aimed at transforming social norms and promoting values of respect, dignity and gender relations. Protection calls for strengthened systems at national and grassroots levels through multi-agency collaboration and partnerships while the accountability pillar seeks to improve the entire justice ecosystem through a survivor-centred approach.

Chief Justice Martha Koome highlighted that the Judiciary has so far rolled out 13 gender- justice courts across the country to expedite GBV related cases, provide psychosocial support to survivors and their families and ensure access to justice.

The commitment will also see increased investment in recovery centres, forensic capacity medical facilities and specialised personnel to improve justice outcomes, as well as women’s entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, education, land and inheritance rights, decent work, and leadership opportunities.

Also adopted during the meeting are eight priority action areas with align with the CSW70 outcomes namely:
Strengthening access to justice and legal reform to eliminate discriminatory laws; Building gender-responsive, survivor-centered justice institutions; Preventing and responding to gender-based violence through robust mechanisms; Addressing technology-facilitated violence with appropriate safeguards; Expanding legal aid and awareness, especially for marginalized communities; Strengthening community-based justice and protection systems; Promoting women’s leadership in justice and governance and Investing in survivor support infrastructure, including safe houses, shelters, and forensic services.

These priorities will be operationalized through a detailed national action plan with periodic reviews to track progress.

PS Anne Wang'ombe | Anti-FGM Board Kenya | Women Enterprise Fund | The National Gender and Equality Commission-Kenya | National Government Affirmative Action Fund - NGAAF

26/05/2026

For clarification, the figure of 10,581 widely being shared does not represent only children who are currently missing.

The number refers to the broader Missing and Found Children caseload recorded in the Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS) between January 2025 and March 2026. The caseload includes cases of abandonment, lost and found children, abductions and trafficking including children who were found, rescued, reunited, or placed under protection and care interventions.

Accurate interpretation of child protection data is important in supporting informed public discourse and coordinated efforts to safeguard every child.

The Government is fully seized of this matter . We are coordinating a multi-agency approach aimed at strengthening child protection, prevention, tracing, reunification and response systems across the country.

25/05/2026

GOVERNMENT UNVEILS NATIONAL GBV REPORTING PLATFORM DURING THE SECOND BI-ANNUAL NATIONAL GENDER SECTOR WORKING GROUP.

The government has today unveiled an online platform to strengthen reporting, protection and response to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases in the country.

Members of the public can now report all cases related to sexual and gender-based violence online through the National GBV Reporting WhatsApp platform +𝟮𝟱𝟰𝟳𝟮𝟰𝟴𝟴𝟰𝟰𝟰𝟰. The platform ensures confidentiality and enables users to access psychological, legal and counseling support as well as critical referral services for survivors of SGBV, including Technology Facilitated Gender Based Violence.

Ministry of Gender, Culture and Children Services Cabinet Secretary CS Hanna Cheptumo said the platform will enhance quick and accessible support to survivors ensuring timely and effective response and prevention initiatives.

"This tool leverages widespread digital connectivity to provide immediate, automated, and confidential psychological support, legal counseling, and direct referral mechanisms for survivors of online and physical violence", said the CS.

Also launched during the Bi-Annual event are the Guidelines for Gender Mainstreaming into Climate Action. The framework seeks to integrate gender perspectives into climate change responses across all sectors, addressing the disproportionate impact on women and vulnerable communities.

The event brought together intergovernmental gender sector representatives including development partners and civil society organizations.

PS Anne Wang'ombe | The National Gender and Equality Commission-Kenya | Women Enterprise Fund | UN Women

22/05/2026

MULTI-AGENCY CRACKDOWN ON SGBV IN CENTRAL REGION KICKS OFF IN EARNEST

A coordinated response to rising cases of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), child neglect, assault and related vices have been rolled out in Central Region to protect those at risk particularly women, girls and children.

The resolutions coming from a follow-up high level engagement with regional stakeholders will be rolled out in Nyeri, Murang'a, Kirinyaga and Nyandarua Counties as part of a 90- day Rapid Response Initiative.

Forthwith, the multi-agency team will:

1. Enforce standard operating hours for licensed bars, closure of unlicensed premises and intensified crackdown on illicit brews. Respective County Governments in collaboration with line government agencies will ensure that bars and entertainment joints within their territories operate strictly within the stipulated time and all unlicensed bars including those operating near learning institutions are closed down immediately.

2. Mapping and crackdown on SGBV hotspots.
The team will immediately map out hotspot areas for targeted operations leading to the arrest and swift prosecution of perpetrators.

3. Strict adherence to official learning hours.
Coordinated implementation of the Basic Education Act of 2013 on the official learning hours in all Basic education learning institutions in the region to prevent the exposure of school going children to security-risk situations.

PS Anne Wang'ombe said a similar initiative will be replicated in other parts of the country to address the recurring challenge of Sexual and Gender Based Violence in the country.

Anti-FGM Board Kenya |

21/05/2026

CENTRAL REGION STAKEHOLDERS' ENGAGEMENT ON GBV, SU***DE, SEXUAL OFFENCES AND CHILD PROTECTION.

We are underway at the Nyeri National Polytechnic for a follow-up, high-level, multi-agency engagement involving County Commissioners, Police Commanders, Gender Directors, Education, Children and Probation Officers from Nyeri, Murang'a, Kiambu, Kirinyaga and Nyandarua Counties to map practical prevention, response and protection approaches to curb the rising cases of , su***de and child violations in the region.

Opened by Nyeri County Governor H.E. Mwalimu Mutahi Kahiga, EGH and presided over by PS Anne Wang'ombe on behalf of CS Hanna Cheptumo, the meeting aims to develop binding recommendations, commitments and accountability framework to inform the 90-day Rapid Response Initiative directive earlier given by the CS.

18/05/2026

18/05/2026

14/05/2026

CS WENDOT MEETS CENTRAL REGION SECURITY TEAM OVER RISING CASES OF CHILD ABDUCTION AND MURDER.

Thursday, 14 May, 2026
NYERI

The Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Gender, Culture and Children Services Cs Hanna Cheptumo today held a special meeting with the Central Region Security Committee following an upsurge of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence cases, including the abduction and murder of children, in the region.

Speaking at the Regional Commissioner's headquarters in Nyeri town, the CS condemned recent incidents in Nyeri, Murang'a and Tharaka Nithi Counties in which separate cases of violence and brutal killing of children were reported.

She termed the trends as not only distressing but also unacceptable and called for a swift action for all those culpable of committing the heinous acts.

"These incidents collectively point to a worrying trend involving violence, neglect, abuse and exploitation of children", said CS Wendot.

According to the Central Region Sexual and Gender Based Violence Statistics between June 2025 to April 2026, a total of 531 cases involving defilement, r**e, in**st, gang r**e, harassment, indecent assault and attempted defilement were recorded across Kiambu, Murang'a, Nyeri, Kirinyaga and Nyandarua Counties.

Regional Police Commander, Jasper Ombati noted that 515 of the reported cases are pending before court, 6 are pending arrests while 10 cases are pending investigation.

CS Wendot said the government has strengthened coordination between the National Police Service, the Directorate of Criminal Investigatin, Children Officers, County Security teams and Nyumba Kumi structures to enhance child protection surveillance, emergency response and case management.

The Central Region Security Committee was led by the Regional Commissioner, Joshua Nkanatha and comprised Dr. Abraham Mugambi (RCIO), Jasper Ombati ( RPC) and John Ngatia (RAPC).

Also present in the meeting was State Department for Gender PS Anne Wang'ombe and Rachael Kamweru.

State Department for Children Services Kenya