By Miraj Guo and Timothy Nzai | May 11, 2026
MOMBASA, KENYA — Human rights activists held a media briefing at Tononoka Children’s Court to raise concern over the increasing cases of gender-based violence across the Coast region and the country.
The briefing, led by women’s rights advocate Fatma Barayan, brought together community members and stakeholders who called for urgent intervention to address the growing cases of femicide, rape, domestic violence, and abuse.
Speakers during the event condemned the continued killings and sexual violence targeting women, saying many victims continue to suffer in silence due to fear, stigma, and delays in accessing justice.
Addressing the media, Barayan announced that free legal clinics will be conducted across all sub-counties in Mombasa to create awareness on gender-based violence and provide legal support to affected families.
“We will be offering legal clinics free of charge, and I will move around all the sub-counties in Mombasa to create awareness because everyone is allowed to come and seek help. We want to end all forms of violence, including economic violence that many men are also going through,” said Barayan.
Zainab Barack also called on the police department to strengthen security and protection for women and children, saying cases reported by victims must be taken seriously to ensure justice is served.
She urged authorities to ensure all GBV-related cases are handled with urgency and fairness so that victims can access justice without delays.
Zainab further encouraged women to speak out and report cases of violence instead of suffering in silence, noting that community support and awareness are key in fighting gender-based violence.
The forum also challenged leaders to increase public awareness campaigns on GBV and invest in prevention programmes targeting young people and vulnerable communities.
The Coast region has recently witnessed growing concern over cases of domestic violence, sexual assault, and killings involving women, with activists warning that urgent action is needed to prevent further loss of lives.
The briefing concluded with calls for stronger collaboration between civil society organisations, law enforcement agencies, religious leaders, and community members in the fight against gender-based violence.
