Nairobi, Kenya — As Kenya confronts a disturbing surge in femicide, a coalition of activists, policymakers, and civil society organizations convened on April 22–23, 2025, in Nairobi for a two-day regional workshop focused on promoting positive masculinity and combating gender-based violence (GBV).
The African Center for Health, Climate and Gender Justice Alliance (ACHCGA), in partnership with Plan International, UN Women, FEMNET, Equality Now, and She Leads Kenya, launched a powerful platform to ignite transformational change. This groundbreaking event empowered girls and young women to challenge gender-based violence (GBV) at its core and dismantle harmful gender norms from the ground up.
The urgency of the gathering was underscored by recent statistics: over 100 women were killed in Kenya in the first three months of 2025 alone, with March recording the highest number of female homicide cases at 44, followed by January with 43 and February with 42. These figures reflect a broader trend, with at least 170 women killed in 2024, the highest annual toll on record.
The participants at the workshop emphasized the concept of positive masculinity, which challenges traditional notions of male dominance and aggression. Instead, it promotes values such as empathy, respect, accountability, and care. By engaging men allies, the initiative seeks to dismantle the power structures that enable GBV.
The workshop also addressed the importance of digital safety, policy advocacy, and transformative leadership in the fight against GBV. Discussions highlighted the need for comprehensive strategies that encompass homes, parliaments, schools, and online spaces.
The event concluded with a call to action: to transform collective pain into power by building skills, forging alliances, and developing actionable strategies to dismantle toxic masculinity, promote gender justice, and advocate for the ratification of the AU Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG).
As Kenya continues to grapple with this national emergency, the workshop represents a critical step toward creating safer, more inclusive societies. Through fostering positive masculinity and empowering women and girls, advocates hope to stem the tide of femicide and build a future rooted in equality and respect.