Sexual and Other Forms of Violence during the COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency in Kenya

This research report explores the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on patterns of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Kenya. The research entailed conducting interviews across the 47 counties of Kenya, including in informal settlements, to document sexual violence and other violations of adults and children during the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been 6,366 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 148 deaths in Kenya as of June 30, 2020. The Kenyan government implemented emergency measures in the wake of COVID-19 that included a nightly dusk-to-dawn curfew, school closures, and restrictions to road, rail, and air movements, as examples. The research was prompted by concerns raised by SGBV and human rights organisations that the COVID-19 crisis is exacerbating women and girls’ vulnerability to SGBV and preventing their access to life-saving services. The research findings suggest three main impacts of the COVID-19 emergency on SGBV: 1. Emergency measures are exacerbating the vulnerability of children and women; 2. The socio-economic impact of the crisis has increased tensions within households, with reports of physical violence and increased homelessness for women; and 3. Vulnerability to violence has been amplified across the population as a whole according to reports by human rights actors, with there being numerous incidents of death and injuries caused by the police while enforcing the COVID-19 emergency measures put into place. We offer policy recommendations based on our findings.