The Role of Non-governmental Organisations (Ngos) in Preventing and Managing Gender-based Violence (Gbv) in Africa: a Case Study of Kenya.

Abstract

This study sought to assess the role of the NGOs in preventing and managing GBV in Africa, Kenya being the case study. The central question which this study sought to answer was; what is the role of NGOs in preventing and managing GBV in Africa? The study was justified at two levels, academically and in terms of policy. The study was anchored on three theories, that is, Liberal Institutionalism, Feminist Theory and Organizational Theory. Liberal Institutionalism argues that the problem of GBV in the world can best be sorted out through setting up of the international institutions and strengthening the NGOs. It is through these bodies that similar norms, cultures and practices will be set across the world through spill-over effects and spill-back effects. This study was purely qualitative in nature and it relied on the Case Study Method as its main research design; the main research instrument of data collection was the Interview Guide which was used to collect primary data. This study relied on the Purposive Sampling Technique which made the researcher select her respondents based on the relevance of information a respondent was able to give. The study found out that indeed the NGOs have made a significant contribution in Kenya in the war against gender-based violence in Kenya, the study also established that GBV was practised on both genders in Kenya although GBV against women was the most pronounced. The study also established that the existence of socio-economic challenges which have worsened during the Covid-19 pandemic have contributed to the increase of GBV cases. Therefore, the NGOs must also find ways of addressing such cases. Finally, the study recommended that NGOs need to revise their programs from psycho-social to economic. This is because most of the major causes of GBV are purely economic. Secondly, the study recommend that NGOs need to be financed more so that they can drive their agenda of fighting GBV across the country. Finally, the study recommended that the partnership between the NGOs and the two levels of government should be enhanced so as to effectively combat the spread of this GBV vice.