By Abdullahi Jamaa
Justice actors in Wajir have been trained on child-sensitive responses and ways of addressing harmful cultural practices, including female genital mutilation (FGM), child marriage and gender-based violence.
The training was organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in collaboration with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) under the EU-funded PLEAD II programme.
The forum brought together participants from justice institutions, civil society and protection services to strengthen responses to cases involving children and other vulnerable groups.
According to organizers, the engagement is seeking to increase the competence, quality, and efficiency of criminal justice institutions while enhancing access to legal aid.
Ms. Stellah Oyagi, a Principal Prosecution Counsel from the ODPP said the training included sensitisation of court users, members of the public and other state agencies on harmful cultural practices and emerging crimes.
“We did sensitization on harmful cultural practices including child marriages, female genital mutilation and emerging gender-based crimes,” Oyagi said.
She said participants were also sensitised on social media and online dangers that could undermine the safety of young children.
“The training also addressed online experiences that harm young children. We trained court users, CSOs, children’s officers, probation officers, police officers, doctors, court users and human rights activists,” she said.
Oyagi said the training was intended to ensure that participants pass the information to the public and court users so that victims and communities understand the crimes and know where to seek help.
“We are hopeful that the information and knowledge they learn will be taken out to the public and to court users so that they understand crimes that are happening and where to get help,” she said.
She said increased awareness could encourage victims to report cases and access support, while emphasising the importance of victim-centred approaches.
“The victims will be able to come out in large numbers because they will understand crimes that are happening. We reiterate the importance of victim-centered approaches that can help the victims to get necessary support without feeling traumatized,” Oyagi said.
Local human rights defenders urged parents to remain vigilant during the upcoming long school holidays, warning of possible increases in child marriages, FGM and gender-based violence.
Hassan Abdi Omar, the Northern Regional Coordinator for the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said the closure of schools could expose children to people seeking to lure or exploit them.
“We are approaching towards closure of the schools. There are possibilities of an increase of GBV, and what we are doing here is to create awareness so that children and parents are aware that there are people who are likely to lure them. We call upon parents to be vigilant during the upcoming holiday,” Omar said.
Hassan Shurie, a member of the Wajir Court Users Association, said the approaching rainy season could also create conditions that expose communities to increased risks of sexual and gender-based violence.
He said communities were likely to meet more frequently around water and grazing points during the rainy season, potentially increasing the risk of rape and other forms of SGBV.
“During rainy seasons communities meet over water points and grazing points, and this may lead to an increase in incidences of rape and other SGBV. We call upon the community members to be vigilant,” Shurie said.
