A survey undertaken by Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA) Agile 2.0 Nairobi Cohort 2024 has revealed that intimate partner violence (IPV) is the most prevalent form of violence, affecting at least 28.4 per cent of partnered young women.
According to the survey findings, within the year 2024 young women affected by IPV have been reporting physical and sexual assault cases, while those suffering from non-partner sexual violence (NPSV), which is less common, were 5.8 percent.
Releasing the findings, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs, Research and Extension at the Technical University of Mombasa, Prof. Peter Gichangi, said the survey has shown that one in five young women in Nairobi have experienced physical violence yet over 20 percent remained silent.
“Nearly one in five partnered young women reported that they experienced physical violence, while over one in five reported sexual violence in the past year,” said Prof. Gichangi.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor, who was speaking during the dissemination of PMA Agile 2.0 Nairobi Youth Cohort 2024, held at Githurai grounds in Roysambu Sub County, said the gender-based violence (GBV) whose data collection took place from October to December 2024, focused on pressing issues such as gender norms, sexual and reproductive health and family planning among young women.
Prof. Gichangi, who is also the PMA Agile Principal Investigator, also referred to technology-facilitated abuse, which the findings indicated affects nearly half of the youth with digital access and economic control and reproductive coercion.
He observed that technology quietly facilitated abuse, stripping young women of autonomy and opportunity to progress, thereby leading others to depression and committing suicide.
“Menstrual stigma also remains alarmingly widespread, with over 75 per cent of young women reporting having experienced it, an issue that has shown only a marginal decrease between 2023 and 2024,” he said.
Prof. Gichangi said, “This issue of menstruation is not just a health issue. It is a barrier to attending school, participating in work, and engaging fully in community life,” adding that it should never be a source of shame or reason for one to miss opportunities.
He noted that the data released underscores the urgent need for comprehensive, youth-centred interventions and support systems to address all forms of gender-based violence, particularly within intimate relationships.
He singled out fear, shame, distrust, obstructions by family and community members, and cultural practices as some of the barriers that discourage a quarter of survivors from seeking help.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor called upon Kenyans and those in leadership positions to embrace the survey findings and use them to plan and allocate resources, as well as to design interventions that are driven by evidence in order to end all forms of violence.
“Ending gender-based violence is not a solo mission; it requires collective resolve. Together we must unite, strategise and act decisively to eliminate all forms of violence against our youth,” he urged.
Prof. Gichangi urged all stakeholders and partners to combine efforts and raise awareness on GBV and ensure that all women are fully empowered and equipped with the knowledge, confidence and support systems they need to enable them to have the courage to speak out and report GBV cases to relevant authorities.
The survey was spearheaded by the International Centre for Reproductive Health Kenya (ICRHK) in collaboration with Kenyatta University and Johns Hopkins University from the United States of America and the National Council for Population and Development.
Nairobi Youth Cohort is a study initiated in 2019 to generate data on adolescents and youth aged 15 to 24 years living in Nairobi with the aim of uncovering insights into their sexual and reproductive behaviours and use of family planning services, topics often considered underexplored.
The Director General of the National Council for Population and Development, Dr. Mohamed Sheikh, in a speech read on his behalf by Maurice Oduor, a senior officer from NCPD said there is a need for those generating exploratory research data to provide more insights on the hows and whys to avoid gaps.
“It is our duty as stakeholders to promote the generation and utilisation of accurate, complete, consistent, timely and relevant data and information,” said Sheikh.
He commended ICRHK and PMA Agile for their immense contribution in promoting data generation and utilisation in the county, noting that NCPD is ready for partnerships and collaboration with state and non-state actors in aspects related to population and development.
By Bernadette Khaduli
