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Reflecting on a brutal January, the Beijing+30 and the fight ahead

Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (Kewopa) chairperson  Leah Sopiato Sankaire (seated centre) led the launch of the 'Komesha Dhuluma' campaign against femicide and gender-based violence at Parliament Buildings, Nairobi, on January 16, 2025.

Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Returning to my editor's desk this January, I confronted a haunting paradox: while we celebrate 30 years of the Beijing Declaration's progress for women's rights, Kenya mourns 15 women murdered in just 22 days.
  • As we mark this milestone year, we must transform our society's response to femicide - from taskforces to total community action - even as we continue telling stories of women's resilience and triumph across our nation.

As I pen my first note of 2025, permit me to wish you a Happy New Year. My return to the editor's desk after almost a month's pause has been eye-opening. Kenya's gender equality landscape pulses with possibility, yet demands our urgent attention. This year offers us not just personal renewal, but a collective chance to transform how women's stories are told and heard in our society.

Yet beneath this optimism lies a chilling reality – 15 women murdered in just 22 days of January. Beth Muthoni, Precious Nderema, Jane Wanjiru and others – their names echo the cost of our collective failure. These aren't mere statistics; they represent extinguished dreams, shattered families, and futures violently stolen.

The betrayal cuts deeper when we confront the UN's stark report: 47 Kenyan women killed weekly, most by those they trusted. Our homes have become crime scenes, intimate relationships transformed into death sentences. While lovers once exchanged promises, now we count police reports. As partners once shared dreams, we now share obituaries.

While the newly formed 34-member taskforce, led by former Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza, signals official recognition of this crisis, we know institutional responses alone aren't enough. We cannot wait for committees to save us. What's needed is a societal transformation - from communities actively protecting their women and girls, to educational systems that teach respect and emotional intelligence, to media platforms amplifying prevention messages, to families raising boys who value women's lives. Each of us must become guardians of women's safety.

During my time away, I observed how women continue to adapt and thrive despite persistent challenges. From market vendors in Homa Bay embracing mobile banking to tech entrepreneurs in Nairobi developing solutions for maternal health, their resilience remains unwavering. These stories deserve our attention and amplification.

This year also marks a significant milestone – the Beijing+30 anniversary. Three decades since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action revolutionised women's rights globally, its vision remains both inspiring and urgent. As we commemorate this landmark framework, which championed everything from women's education to environmental leadership, we must acknowledge both progress and persistent challenges.

As we navigate this fourth week of January, we renew our commitment to spotlighting these complex realities. We'll delve deeper into stories that often go untold: the community health worker in Kajiado fighting to end FGM 30 years after Beijing first highlighted harmful cultural practices, the women MPs pushing for the two-thirds gender rule that emerged from Beijing's call for political representation, or the women's rights defender who has spent three decades helping girls access education - a key Beijing Declaration priority.

This year, we're particularly keen to explore the intersection of gender equality with pressing issues like climate change, digital transformation, and economic empowerment. How are women leading climate resilience efforts in their communities? What role does technology play in bridging the gender gap? These questions will guide our coverage.

To our readers who have been part of this journey: your stories and feedback continue to shape our narrative. This year, we'll amplify more voices from the grassroots, ensuring our coverage reflects the diverse experiences of Kenyan women and girls. The stories we tell matter – they shape perceptions, influence policy, and inspire action.

As we mark Beijing+30 while confronting a femicide crisis, 2025 demands more than reflection; it requires decisive action to protect women's most fundamental right – the right to life itself.

Welcome to another year of impactful storytelling. Together, let's illuminate the path toward genuine gender equality in Kenya and beyond.