Launch of the Gender Rapid Response Unit (GRRU)

Publication date: October 1, 2007

The Education Center for Women in Democracy (ECWD) launched the Gender Rapid Response Unit (GRRU). The GRRU is the first of its kind in Kenya and will provide rapid response services to survivors of Electoral Gender Based Violence. Electoral Gender Based Violence takes several forms of suffering such as sexual abuse, psychological, emotional or physical harm to women including threats of such acts. Sometimes the violations are directed to the families of the aspirants. The Gender Rapid Response Unit (GRRU) has been established following the recent spate of electoral violence especially against women as the 2007 general elections draw closer. Currently, about six women aspirants have reported being beaten and attacked by groups and gangs , with more being insulted and threatened though different  forms of media such as emails and sms’s. Most of the threats are downright insulting and demeaning and sadly, some have come to fruition with some aspirants being admitted in hospital recuperating from injuries caused by the attacks. Despite this reality, history has shown that electoral violence against women in Kenya most of the time, goes unreported.

Hon.Betty Tett- chair person ECWD during her welcoming speech.	British High Commissioner to Kenya, Mr. Adam Wood	Ms. Anneli Lindahl- Kenny, Deputy Head of Mission Embassy of Sweden officially launches the GRRU. unit.
	The official launch at Education Center for Women in Democracy (ECWD)

A number of reasons can be attributed to this. However, more obvious is that following attacks, the survivors are too traumatized, lack the knowledge to go through the legal procedures and are insufficiently attended to by different authorities responsible for electoral violence. The GRRU is an innovative and dynamic project that aims to provide rapid response services to survivors of electoral violence to ensure that they find redress and more importantly gradually reduce the incidences of electoral violence against women to ensure their effective participation in politics.

The unit will provide the following services:

• Assist survivors in referring cases of Electoral Gender Based Violence to the police;
  Provide helpful information to the survivors including: how and where they can access medical attention;
• Refer survivors with trauma related complications for psychological support through trauma counselling services;
• Assist in instituting legal proceedings against perpetrators, and further provide pro bono lawyers to watch, brief or institute private prosecution;
• Mobilize to create and sustain the pressure needed to ensure the relevant authorities carry out arrests of the perpetrators;
• Document all forms of gender based violence with the aim of increasing awareness and therefore heightening the dialogue towards making elections free of violence;
• Work closely with the Kenya Police, the media and the Electoral Commission of Kenya-ECK in attaining the above objectives.

The Gender Based Violence Rapid Response Unit (GRRU) hotline numbers are 0725 00 74 00, 0724 00 87 27, 0738 64 30 56, 020 21195.The unit will be in place in the next three months at the ECWD Secretariat.