Bungoma's model: The gender desk every Kenyan police station needs
A man walks towards the gender desk office at the Bungoma Police station in this picture taken on November 8,2023.The facility is child friendly and has two beds to host overnight SGBV survivors unable to go back home for security reasons.
What you need to know:
- Amidst a rising tide of femicide cases in Kenya, Bungoma Police Station's gender desk stands out as a model for addressing SGBV.
- While only about half of Kenya's police stations have gender desks, many of which are non-functional, Bungoma's approach offers comprehensive support.
In the wake of a horrifying surge in femicide cases across Kenya, the spotlight has turned to an often-overlooked resource in the fight against gender-based violence: police station gender desks.
Introduced in 2004 to provide a safe space for victims of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), these desks were meant to be a beacon of hope, eliminating fear and shame while encouraging reporting.
However, nearly two decades later, the reality falls short of the vision, with many police stations lacking functional gender desks or proper infrastructure and personnel.
Trained officer
Amidst this grim landscape, Bungoma Police Station stands out as a beacon of progress. Its gender desk boasts a small shelter equipped with two beds to host SGBV victims, and a computer to collect and record data.
Inspector Scovia Lisa Ipalei, in charge of the gender desk, emphasises the critical role this space plays in providing immediate safety and support to traumatized victims.
"As a trained police officer at the gender desk, I have to cultivate close relationships with the survivors and offer post-trauma counselling where applicable. I have to also see them go through the healing process," Inspector Ipalei explains.
The Bungoma model showcases the potential impact of well-equipped and staffed gender desks.
County Police Commander Francis Kooli reveals plans to expand the facility, aiming to provide more privacy and space for interviews. He also highlights the importance of training. With support from non-governmental organisations, more than 60 officers across nine sub-counties are now equipped to handle SGBV cases sensitively, he explains.
"Our goal is to create a spacious and private environment at the gender desk where SGBV survivors can be interviewed and share information confidentially," Mr Kooli explains.
"In addition to Bungoma, we've established fully operational gender desks at Webuye and Mt Elgon police stations, expanding our capacity to support victims across the region."
However, Bungoma's success story is more exception than rule.
According to a 2023 UN Women report, only about 50 per cent of Kenya's police stations have gender desks, and many of these are poorly equipped or non-functional. This gap has dire consequences, as evidenced by the recent discovery of multiple dismembered bodies of women in Mukuru Kwa Njenga slums in Nairobi.
Read also: Special SGBV courts to speed up justice
The shortfall has prompted women leaders, led by Council of Governors Chairperson Ann Waiguru, to call for urgent action. They advocate for the revival of gender desks staffed by trained officers who can collect data to prevent femicide cases.
Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire has also pledged to advocate for budget allocations for the gender desk program in the upcoming supplementary.
"We will ensure the supplementary budget includes specific funds for this crucial initiative," Mbarire stated. "This will enable us to tackle femicides more effectively moving forward."
However, Eva Komba, a gender and development expert, expresses disappointment in the current performance of gender desks. "These desks have fallen far short of expectations," Komba noted. "Many cease operations after 5pm. What we truly need is a complete overhaul of our police service to create a system that genuinely respects and centres human rights."
As Kenya grapples with the rising tide of violence against women - with about 500 women murdered between 2017 and 2024 - the need for functional gender desks has never been more critical.
The Bungoma model offers a blueprint for progress, demonstrating how these desks can serve as crucial frontline defences in the battle against gender-based violence.
