05/08/2026
Three weeks ago, ICC in partnership with UN Women, convened cultural elders, religious leaders, chiefs, and community leaders for a dialogue on gender justice. Rather than a training, the meeting created a safe space for reflection on the role leaders play in preventing gender-based violence (GBV) and promoting dignity, fairness, and equality within communities.
Evidence shows that engaging trusted local leaders is key to transforming harmful social norms. According to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (2022), 34% of women aged 15–49 have experienced physical violence since age 15, while 41% of ever-married women have experienced intimate partner violence. Although Kenya has made progress in reducing harmful practices such as FGM, pastoralist communities, still require sustained community-led action.
The dialogue reaffirmed that lasting change begins with community lead solutions. By strengthening the capacity of influential leaders to champion gender equality, ICC is helping build safer communities where women and girls are respected, protected, and empowered.
