What is Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV)?
Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) refers to any act that is perpetrated against a person’s will and is based on gender norms and unequal power relationships.
It includes any form of a non-consensual sexual act, attempt to forcefully obtain a sexual act, unwanted sexual comments or advances, or acts to traffic women’s sexuality, using coercion, threats of harm or physical force, by any person regardless of relationship to the survivor, in any setting, including but not limited to home and work. Six core SGBV types include, rape, sexual assault, physical assault, forced marriage, denial of resources/opportunities or services and psychological and emotional abuse.
Response Services
SGBV response services include medical treatment (ideally within 72 hours of the incident), psychosocial support, provision of physical security, provision of safe spaces and legal assistance.
Security is provided to SGBV survivors by the national police in collaboration with UNHCR and partners and the survivor following a joint safety assessment; which may include admission into a safe space within the camps or in the community in urban areas for a limited period of time.
Other social services extended to SGBV survivors include community-based peer support, mentorship programmes for girls and boys, provision of dignity and menstrual hygiene management (MHM) kits and livelihood support as a mitigation measure against further violence. Note: all service providers must adhere to strict confidentiality.
How to seek help or report concerns
You can report SGBV incidents at the nearest hospital or police station, UNHCR. DRC, IRC, TDH, LWF, HI, or any agency in the camps after which you will be advised and/or referred to appropriate and confidential response services. In the urban areas, approach HIAS or NCCK.
Survivors of SGBV can access or seek assistance from the following hotlines/contacts
- 1195 -National GBV hotline
- 1190 – Counselling hotline
- 1517 – UNHCR toll-free number
- 0800720309 – Danish Refugee Council (DRC) toll- free number
- 0800-720600 -Telecounselling AMANI counselling Center
- 0790781359 – CVT
- 0770451236 / 0777784009- HIAS
- 0704-873342 -NCCK Health coordinator
- 1196 – Childline
- 0711400506 – MSF hotline
- 0800720121 – LVCT toll-free number
- 999 / 112 – Kenya police emergency hotline
Below are the key agencies focal persons to support on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases and referrals:
Refugee Affairs Secretariat (RAS)
Evans Pasua (Community-Based Protection Officer)
Tel.: 722391379
E-mail: [email protected]
HIAS
David Mwamkita (Gender and GBV Manager)
Tel.: 731747417
E-mail: [email protected]
Center for Victims of Torture (CVT)
Nancy Mwikali (Councelling supervisor)
Tel.: 790406423
E-mail: [email protected]
Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK)
Lenah Moenga (Legal consultant: Legal and Psychosocial Programme)
Tel.: 734788590
E-mail: [email protected]
HESED
Euphemia Anyango (Project Office GBV)
Tel.: 781010809
E-mail: [email protected]
Kituo Cha Sheria
Caroline Wanjiku Kamau (Legal officer)
Tel.: 708083388
E-mail: [email protected]
RefuShe
Joseph Nyage (Community Outreach Manager)
Tel.: 725405102
E-mail: [email protected]
RefuShe
Joan Nyongesa (Legal and advocacy Officer)
Tel.: 710626844
E-mail: [email protected]
Coptic Hospital
David Mwenga (GBV focal-Coptic hospital)
Tel.: 720008942
E-mail: [email protected]
You can also report incidents or to seek assistance through hotline numbers: 0729 209 398 / 0800720308 (free) or 0717 968 219.