NAIROBI, KENYA – A minister in Australia has condemned systemic police failures that led to the deaths of multiple women, following a landmark investigation that has sparked a global conversation on state accountability in protecting victims of domestic violence. The revelations from Queensland, Australia, resonate deeply in Kenya, a nation grappling with its own crisis of femicide and gender-based violence (GBV), and raise urgent questions about the effectiveness of local law enforcement and justice systems.

On Friday, November 21, 2025, Australian Federal Minister for Social Services, Tanya Plibersek, described the findings as “devastating,” stating that when authorities fail victims, it is “dangerous and undermines our systems.” Her comments followed “Broken Trust,” a two-year investigation by Guardian Australia that uncovered serious police and support service failures in the homicides of Hannah Clarke and her three children, Kardell Lomas and her unborn child, and Gail Karran. Plibersek noted the reporting pointed to a “broader cultural problem” where women seeking protection are dismissed or blamed, a sentiment that echoes the frustrations of many Kenyan survivors and activists.

A Familiar Story for Kenya

The failures identified in Australia—missed opportunities for intervention, dismissal of victims' fears, and inadequate responses—mirror the systemic challenges confronting Kenya. The country is experiencing what activists have termed a femicide epidemic. In 2024, Kenya recorded an unprecedented surge in femicide, with at least 170 women killed, a sharp increase from 95 the previous year. Between August and November 2024 alone, 100 murders of women were documented by security agencies.

According to the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, about one-third of all Kenyan women aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical violence. Civil society organizations report that the reality is likely far worse due to underreporting. The Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA-Kenya) has repeatedly expressed concern over the failure of the National Police Service (NPS) to hold perpetrators accountable, citing that reports of intimate partner violence are often not taken seriously. This institutional culture of victim-blaming and inaction creates significant barriers to justice.

Legislative Action vs. On-the-Ground Reality

Kenya enacted the Protection Against Domestic Violence Act in 2015, a comprehensive piece of legislation designed to provide relief and protection to survivors. The Act expanded the definition of domestic violence to include emotional and economic abuse, stalking, and marital rape. However, more than a decade later, its implementation remains fraught with challenges. Legal experts and practitioners point to procedural hurdles, lack of public awareness, and insufficient funding for support services like counseling as major weaknesses. For many victims, the law has been “practically ineffective in its daily applicability,” according to analysis published in the Kabarak Journal of Law and Ethics.

This gap between law and enforcement is where the parallels with the Queensland cases become most stark. Despite victims like Hannah Clarke having extensive contact with police before their deaths, the system failed to protect them. Similarly, in Kenya, activists lament that even with laws in place, a lack of political will and deep-seated patriarchal norms within the justice system prevent meaningful protection for women. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has noted significant challenges faced by female officers and a lack of support within the police force itself, which can further hinder effective responses to GBV.

A Global Call for Accountability

The outcry in Australia, amplified by Minister Plibersek’s call for action from governments “at every level,” serves as a critical reminder that gender-based violence is a universal human rights crisis demanding robust state intervention. In Kenya, the response has been led by civil society, with nationwide protests in early 2024 demanding an end to femicide under the banner #StopKillingUs.

In response to the surge in violence, the Kenyan government has established a special security team to address GBV and femicide. Furthermore, the National Gender and Equality Commission is coordinating a multi-stakeholder working group to push for policy and legal reforms. However, activists maintain that these efforts must be matched by a fundamental cultural shift within the National Police Service to prioritize the safety and dignity of survivors. As long as women who seek help are met with dismissal, blame, or inaction, legal frameworks alone will remain insufficient. The tragic deaths in Queensland are a somber warning of the fatal consequences of such systemic failures—a warning that Kenya cannot afford to ignore.