While the International Day of the Girl Child is being celebrated globally, Kilifi County is witnessing a terrible surge in the cases of gender-based violence against girls.
According to AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) data, between January and September 2025, Kilifi County had 420 defilement cases, 52 rape cases, including 36 incest cases, 355 early pregnancy cases, and 14 sodomy cases.
One of the community champions from Marereni, Lydia Mulongo, says that teenage pregnancy still remains a leading cause of the girls’ issues in the locality. She relates it to rampant poverty that makes families unwilling to supply even the most basic necessities such as sanitary towels and consequently pushes girls into such vulnerable situations where they can be easily taken advantage of.
“A lot of girls are dropping out from school mainly because their parents are not able to cater for basic needs. Therefore, they turn into easy targets for the ones who are waiting to exploit,” Mulongo said.
The abuses, which have increased unfortunately, have worried the gender rights advocates and as a result, they are urging the community to raise more awareness, carry out empowerment programs, and have better child protection laws implemented as a means of ensuring the rights and dignity of girls in Kilifi are upheld.
While the world leaders are pushing for the investing in girls’ rights and education, what is happening in Kilifi is a clear indication of the need for local interventions that are not only temporary but also committed to ending gender-based violence and promoting girls’ equal opportunities.
