The GBV Taskforce has proposed new regulations that would compel short-stay rentals and lodgings to have CCTV cameras installed, following a link to the rising cases of gender-based violence in the country.
This follows a report presented to President William Ruto by a task force formed by the Technical Working Group on Gender-Based Violence, led by former Deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza.
The taskforce has recommended that all short-stay rentals, lodgings, and other commercial accommodations be installed with CCTV cameras by September 31, 2026, citing that these have become convenient locations for GBV perpetrators, given that they are not closely monitored after guests have checked in.
According to the taskforce, most of these short-stay rentals do not have clear records, security, or tracing mechanisms when something goes wrong.
In a report, it emerged that between 2022 and 2024, at least 1,639 women have been killed across the country, with 77 percent of these being intimate partners or known perpetrators.
The taskforce also stated that women aged between 30 and 44 years were the most affected, with Nairobi, Nakuru, and Meru being the top three counties with the highest number of victims.
The taskforce also stated that many cases are not being reported, with many cases not being included in the records.
The taskforce also stated that short-stay rentals have become convenient locations for GBV perpetrators, given that they are not closely monitored after checking in.
It emerged that these cases are not being closely monitored, with no clear records, security, or tracing mechanisms.
In a bid to curb this, the taskforce recommended that all short-stay rentals, lodgings, and commercial accommodations be installed with CCTV cameras by September 31, 2026, a move that would see the tourism sector at the forefront of GBV prevention for the first time, through a collaborative effort by the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife and the Ministry of Interior and National Administration.
However, the task force argues that surveillance will not completely address the issue. The report identifies other shortcomings, such as femicide not being recognized as a crime, justice being served too slowly to encourage women to report, and cases being withdrawn due to pressure from families and community leaders.
The report also identifies poor data management as another challenge. The report indicates that 34 percent of women in Kenya have experienced physical violence since they were 15 years old. On the other hand, 13 percent have experienced sexual violence at some point in their lives. The task force has made a number of proposals to address the issue.
Among them is declaring GBV and femicide a national crisis, legalizing femicide, and ceasing to settle cases outside of court, which silences the survivors. The task force is calling for an increase in the number of one-stop centers to aid survivors. It is also calling for increased mental health support and economic support.
The report proposes a national database on GBV and femicide, a real-time femicide dashboard, and regulating digital platforms, which have contributed to misinformation and blame.
The report proposes the formation of a National GBV and Femicide Fund, as well as protected budgets to be set aside at county levels. As domestic tourism grows, the task force warns that safety should not be an afterthought.
It argues that GBV and femicide are not personal issues, but rather serious violations of women’s rights. It asserts that safe accommodation spaces should now be part of the solution, not the problem.
