My Right to Life is Not a Debate!

A wave of youthful and feminist defiance washed over Kenya’s streets today, as girls and young women, echoed for justice in collective outrage against the chilling spectre of femicide. This time, their voices were not mistaken as whispers of discontent, but fierce echoes decrying a patriarchal system that has silenced too many innocent victims for far too long.

No longer willing to live in fear, the feminist sisters painted a poignant portrait of loss Kenya has witnessed in the recent past. The girls and young women painstakingly remarked how femicide had etched a perennial fear in their daily lives. Their pain palpable, a collective for sisters brutally silenced by untimely death. Femicide, they cried, wasn’t just a statistic; it was a shadow cast upon their mental well-being, a constant threat that choked their dreams and stole their sense of safety.

Grief hung heavy in the air, but amidst the pain, a fire of resilience burned brightly. Nancy Barasa, a young feminist from Zamara Foundation, spoke for countless others when she declared, “My right to life is not a debate!” Her defiant words echoed across the room, igniting an unyielding demand for justice.

Joining the chorus of voices were Pauline Nabwire of Polycom and Bernice Dodoo from Ghana joined their voices to the symphony of advocacy. Dodoo passionately stated, “Women’s rights are human rights, and women’s lives deserve to be respected.” She further urged everyone to join in raising their voices and demanding justice, envisioning a society where a woman’s right to live is treated with the same reverence as a fundamental human right.

Accordingly, Sarah Ouma, from Slum Dwellers International Kenya, expressed her longing for a society where she is free to just be, emphasizing the need for a space where women can thrive without the looming threat of violence.

Finally, Esther Nyawira, FEMNET’s She Leads Pan African coordinator, issued an unapologetic call to action, stating, “We are unapologetic when we say stop killing women, stop killing girls. Lives have been lost but justice seems to be delayed.”

Nyawira urged policymakers to fulfil their promises and bring femicide perpetrators to justice, demanding tangible action to ensure the safety of girls and young women in Kenya.

These young voices, united in purpose, declared that the time for change is now. Their fight for justice has begun, and this rally is just the first step in their mission to guarantee a future where girls and young women can live without fear.

The aforementioned was in memory of Juliet Naeku, Florence Kaari, Sheila Jepkemboi, Beth Wanjiku, Elizabeth Kaara and in honor of the other femicide victims who have never given an opportunity to speak for themselves.