Because I am a Girl

Your contributions are helping to protect at-risk girls in Kenya, educating communities on gender equality and child rights, keeping girls in school, and stopping violence and abuse before it starts.

In Kenya, your support has helped:

• Educate 1,600 students (800 girls) on their rights and the importance of gender equality
• Support students across 32 schools to become peer educators and ambassadors for children’s rights
• Train nearly 1,800 parents in how to support their children’s safety
• Train teachers across 15 schools to implement effective child protection measures
• Hold five children’s assemblies, giving girls and boys a platform to raise their voices and be heard by policy officials on issues that matter
• Initiate school elections in 90 schools, nominating student governments that represent youths’ interest.

Until now, deeply ingrained gender discrimination often led to troubling outcomes when girls reported abuse to local authorities. Families were pressured into withdrawing their complaints, payments to victims’ families were negotiated in lieu of prosecution, and victims were even forced to marry the men who had inflicted harm on them.

It’s a heartbreaking reality that, thanks to you, is rapidly changing for the better.

By strengthening the legal and social systems that protect victims of violence, your support is helping to ensure that, when girls do report abuse, they get the help they need.

With your backing, our staff are working hard with local organizations and government bodies, such as Kenya’s national child helpline, to improve response, referral, resolution, rescue and recovery procedures for at-risk girls and children – ensuring they have proper support services available to keep them safe and healthy.

Additionally, three case management committees – including teachers, health staff, police, judiciary leaders and counselors – have been trained on effective measures to prevent, detect, report and take action against instances of sexual or physical abuse, with several more committees and positive actions to come.

Not only are you giving girls knowledge of – and improved access to – their rights, you’re ensuring they’re included in local governance, so these standards are supported and sustained.