| dc.description.abstract | Gender refers to the socially determined ideas and practices of what it is to be female or male.
Such ideas are sanctioned and reinforced by a host of cultural, political, and economic institutions,
including the household, legal and governance structures, markets, and religion (Meinzen-Dick et
aI, 2005 pp 4). Gender-Based Violence, therefore refers to violence that targets individuals or
groups of individuals on the basis of their gender (Esplen, 2007; 23). However, the term gender is
generally assumed to be synonymous with women; and, as for Gender-Based Violence, the term is
more commonly applied in relation to violence against women and girls. The unequal power
retatons between females and males in society are the root cause of Gender-Based Violence. The
legitimized subordination of women in patriarchal societies, including the treatment of women as
the property of men through practices such as payment of bride price, perpetuates violence against
women and girls (Okumba et al, 2005; 65-66). Whether violence between men and violence men
experience related to sexual orientation, can be included within 'gender based violence' is a further
complication (Kelly, 2006; 10). Therefore, for the purposes of this study, Gender-Based Violence
refers more to violations against women and girls.
Violence against women and girls continues to be a global epidemic that kills, tortures, and maims
- physically, psychologically, sexually and economically. It is one of the most pervasive of human
rights violations, denying women and girls their equality, security, dignity, self-worth, and their right
to enjoy fundamental freedoms. Violence against women is present in every country, cutting across
boundaries of culture, class, education, income, ethnicity and age (UNICEF, 2000; 2).
As well as emergency medical needs arising from violence, survivors of Gender-Based Violence
frequency suffer longer-term complications and chronic conditions which, more often than not are
not addressed due to such factors as lack of access to health care, or the inability by women and
girls to access reproductive health services due to factors such as poverty, lack of financial support
and lack of decision-making capacity by women and girls to make critical decisions to seek medical
attention when the need arises.
The research intended to establish the extent of long-term reproductive health concerns amongst
survivors; that is Sexual and Reproductive Health concerns beyond the immediate medical and
counseling. The Sexual and Reproductive Health needs of Kenyan women and girls resulting from
Gender-Based Violence and the constraints survivors of violence face accessing reproductive
health services were the other area of study that the researched focused on. Other areas of study
included to find out whether there was any relationship between Gender-Based Violence (GBV)
experienced and any reproductive health complications cited by the participants; and to get
subjective views on the causes and consequences of GBV disaggregated by age; socio-economic
status; residential area; and gender. The study also purposed to identify and document community based
approaches to healing or offering psycho-social support to the survivors in the long-run.
The study was done in collaboration with Women's Rights Awareness Programme (WRAP),
whose administrative records were availed to the researcher, especially for the purposes of
studying case histories of GBV survivors. Sampling of GBV survivors for individual and group
interviews was done in the neighbourhood of Kibera, mostly from within the informal settlements.
The GBV survivors were requested to involve their daughters in the study. Another sample of GBV
survivors was taken from the Oromo Refugee Community, which tries to keep culture and tradition
alive. Several men from the Oromo Refugee Community were also requested to participate in the
study
"WRAP is a non-governmental human rights organization which provides alternative safe and
secure accommodation for GBV survivors. WRAP also provides various GBV-related supportive
services, directly or through referrals. The organization also addresses itself to the advancement
and protection of women's and children's.rights through such strategies as awareness creation and
advocacy. Programme implementation also involves some element of research; at least some
baseline surveyor rapid appraisal to aid in project planning and· implementation, and evaluative
research to assess impact of the interventions put in place. This information goes into WRAP's
administrative records, besides ,data on clients seeking G8V-related supportive services. | en |
