A New Front Against a Hidden Epidemic

KISUMU, KENYA – On Thursday, 20 November 2025, the county governments of Kisumu and Migori launched coordinated initiatives aimed at eradicating Gender-Based Violence (GBV) from the local sports sector, a move hailed by activists as a crucial development in a nationwide struggle. The programs, which include mandatory safeguarding training for coaches and the establishment of confidential reporting mechanisms for athletes, are a direct response to a growing body of evidence revealing sports as a high-risk environment for women and girls.

This regional effort confronts a grim national reality. A June 2025 report by Aga Khan University's Graduate School of Media and Communications revealed that 69% of sportspeople in Kenya have personally experienced or know someone who has experienced sexual or gender-based violence. This figure represents a significant increase from the 43% reported by a government task force in 2022, indicating a worsening crisis. The study, titled "Sexual and gender-based violence against women in sports: prevalence, impact, and interventions in East Africa," positioned Kenya with the highest prevalence in the region.

The National Crisis: A Catalyst for Local Action

The urgency of these county-level initiatives is underscored by a series of high-profile tragedies that have shocked the nation. The October 2021 murder of world record-holding runner Agnes Tirop in Iten brought the vulnerability of female athletes into sharp focus. Her death, along with those of other athletes like Damaris Muthee Mutua and Ugandan Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei, who was killed in Kenya, highlighted a deadly pattern of violence. These events served as a "rude awakening" for the sporting community, according to Athletics Kenya (AK) Chief Administrative Officer, Susan Kamau.

In response to the public outcry, the national government has taken several steps. In a gazette notice dated November 22, 2024, the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports established a Gender Protection and Implementation Committee. Chaired by marathon legend Catherine Ndereba, the committee is tasked with fully implementing the 2022 taskforce report and developing new policies to curb GBV. Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has publicly acknowledged the severity of the problem, stating, "I know it is a big problem... it is very emotional and very painful to even narrate their stories."

Systemic Failures and Power Imbalances

Investigations and reports have consistently pointed to systemic issues that enable abuse. The Aga Khan University study identified coaches, team officials, and peers as the primary perpetrators, accounting for 55% of reported incidents. Power imbalances, particularly between male coaches and young female athletes from impoverished backgrounds, create a high-risk environment for exploitation. A culture of silence, driven by fear of retaliation or losing career opportunities, has allowed the abuse to persist largely unchallenged.

The 2022 government taskforce report, 'Levelling the Playing Field: Gender Inclusivity in Sports', found that sexual abuse in Kenya's sports industry had become so normalized that many young victims could not identify it as such, with 43% of those who suffered preferring to remain silent. This environment not only causes severe emotional trauma but also leads to deteriorating performance and forces many women to abandon their sporting careers entirely.

A Framework for Change: Policy and Implementation

The new programs in Kisumu and Migori are built on an evolving national legal and policy framework. Key legislation includes the Protection Against Domestic Violence Act (2015) and the Sexual Offences Act (2006). More specifically, the Kenya Academy of Sports developed a 'Policy for Safeguarding in Sports' in June 2022, and Athletics Kenya followed with its own World Athletics-approved policy in December 2023.

However, experts argue that the challenge lies in implementation. A persistent lack of resources for investigation, inadequate training for law enforcement, and a slow justice system often discourage victims from coming forward. The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) has launched campaigns, including in the North Rift, to make safeguarding a standard practice in training camps rather than an afterthought. The success of the Kisumu and Migori initiatives will depend heavily on sustained funding, rigorous enforcement, and multi-agency collaboration between county governments, sports federations, and civil society.

While these local efforts represent a significant step forward, they are just the beginning. The fight to make sports a safe and empowering space for all Kenyans requires a fundamental cultural shift within the entire ecosystem—from grassroots clubs to national federations—to ensure that athletes can pursue excellence free from fear, exploitation, and violence.