Chief Justice Martha Koome has renewed calls for urgent national action to tackle the growing cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and violence against women and girls, warning that the crisis continues to spread across communities despite ongoing interventions.
Speaking during the Post-CSW70 National Stakeholders’ Forum on Friday, Koome said the Judiciary remains committed to strengthening survivor-centred justice systems, expanding specialised courts, and improving cooperation among institutions handling GBV matters.
Her remarks come as Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) cases in Kenya continue to rise between 2023 and 2026, with Judiciary data showing that courts handled more than 31,460 cases in the 2024/25 financial year, slightly higher than the previous year.
Between 2022 and 2025, the Judiciary recorded 28,146 SGBV cases, with defilement and grievous harm ranking among the most reported offences.
At the same time, femicide cases have sharply increased, with at least 170 women killed in 2024, representing a 79 per cent rise from 2023, while more than 220 women and girls were killed in 2025.
Koome said the country must urgently confront what she described as “rising and deeply concerning cases of violence against women and girls,” noting that the growing numbers continue to affect families and communities nationwide.
To respond to the increasing cases, the Judiciary established specialised SGBV courts aimed at speeding up cases while improving protection for survivors.
The government has also stepped up measures through President William Ruto’s administration, including the formation of a GBV task force and the expansion of policing units handling gender-related crimes.
Authorities have further strengthened legal frameworks, expanded safe house networks, and improved forensic systems to support investigations, prosecutions, and survivor care amid increasing public concern.
Koome stressed that addressing GBV requires cooperation across all sectors, saying the forum had brought together senior government officials, development partners, civil society organisations, Parliament representatives, county governments, academia, the private sector, the media, and the Judiciary.
Among those present were Gender, Culture and Children Services Cabinet Secretary Hannah Wendot Cheptumo, Principal Secretary for Gender Affairs and Affirmative Action Anne Wang’ombe, and UN Women Kenya Country Director Antonia N’gabala-Sodonon.
The Chief Justice maintained that the Judiciary is focused on ensuring survivors are treated with dignity and can access justice without intimidation or delay.
“I reaffirmed the Judiciary’s unwavering commitment to ensuring survivors access justice with dignity, protection, and without fear through specialised Gender Justice Courts, strengthened coordination within the justice sector, and survivor-centred approaches to handling GBV cases,” she stressed.
Koome added that efforts to end GBV will only succeed through stronger cooperation and accountability at all levels of society.
“ending GBV requires bold multisectoral collaboration, stronger prevention measures, accountability for perpetrators, and sustained protection and empowerment for women and girls.”
She also urged society to address deeper social challenges that contribute to violence, including weakening family structures and the erosion of social values.
“I also reaffirmed the urgent need for forgiveness, reconciliation, restoration of families, and rebuilding of societal values as part of the broader effort to address violence in our communities,” she highlighted.
Koome further warned that children often become silent victims in homes and communities affected by violence, underscoring the need for stronger protection measures.
She outlined seven major action areas needed to strengthen the fight against GBV, including preventive education, economic empowerment for women, and stronger community-based protection systems.
Other areas include reforming legal systems to tackle online abuse, ensuring survivor-centred justice processes, expanding shelters and safe houses, and improving medical and forensic systems to strengthen investigations and prosecutions.
Gender Cabinet Secretary Hannah Wendot Cheptumo supported the Chief Justice’s remarks and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ending GBV through coordinated efforts across sectors.
Stakeholders at the forum agreed that GBV has no place in society and called for sustained efforts to build safer communities where women and girls can live free from violence, fear, and discrimination.
The meeting also reaffirmed Kenya’s continued push to strengthen legal, institutional, and social responses to gender-based violence as concern grows over its impact across the country.