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Dark Valentine: Women to hold memorial for femicide victims

Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris and the anti-femicide protestors in January.

By Lucy Mumbi | Tuesday, February 13, 2024

On January 27, 2024, thousands of women across the country held protests, condemning the act.

Women in Nairobi will hold a vigil for victims of gender-based violence and femicide on Valentine's Day.

In the event-themed ‘Dark Valentine’, women under End Femicide Movement Kenya umbrella said the event will take place at The University of Nairobi's Graduation Square from 4 pm to 7 pm on Wednesday.

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The event aims to maintain and amplify the pressure on the government to address the urgent demands that emerged from the recent national marches held in over ten counties.

“By strategically timing the event around Valentine's Day, we aim to draw attention to the dark realities of gender-based violence and femicide that persist in our society,” read the statement.

“The primary objective of the Dark Valentine event is to continue building on the momentum gained from the nationwide marches in January and to demand that the government and legislature act as a matter of urgency to prevent, prosecute and punish violence against women and girls and femicide.”

The Lobby's noted that they have presented their demands to the Speakers.

Among the demands they are pushing for is the declaration of violence against women and femicide as a national emergency.

In addition, they want a commission on the elimination of femicide and violence against women and girls established.

“We continue to demand to ensure that the government takes swift and decisive action to address the critical issues related to femicide in Kenya,” read the statement.

The event has been organised by the #TotalShutDownKE and #EndFemicideKe Movement consisting of over 1,000 organisations and individuals across Africa.

Huge thank you to @swahilipothub and the artists (tagged) for collaborating with us to make this happen!#DarkValentine #EndFemicideKe pic.twitter.com/cAy9E7WmXi
— EndFemicideKe (@Endfemicideke) February 10, 2024

On January 27, 2024, thousands of women across the country held protests, condemning the act.

They noted that out of 546 deaths, 241 were committed by husbands and 130 by boyfriends.

The lobbies reiterated that femicide is not only a threat to women but also to the entire society.

“It is a manifestation of deeply rooted inequalities that must be dismantled through legal reforms, educational initiatives, and resource allocation. The Kenyan government, in collaboration with activists and multiple partners, must rise to the occasion, demonstrating a commitment to ending femicide and creating a safer, more equitable society for all,” read the statement.

Despite the government acknowledging the severity of the femicide crisis, the groups argue that more decisive and immediate action is required.