Nowadays Faith Wangiru, from Kenya, lives alone with her son and runs a little shop selling water and ice cream. She used to live with her violent husband, on whom she was financially dependent.

“Finally I told him I’d sue him if he touched me again. He believed me and left,” says Wangiru, who lives in the Kibera slum in Nairobi.

Wangiru was supported in her decision by Creaw, an organisation working to end violence against women.  In 2016, the organisation provided legal aid in about 200 cases in Kibera that were taken to court. However, most of the violent acts go unreported because the perpetrator is someone the victim knows and women have nowhere to go. For this reason, the organisation campaigns for the rights of women and educates also men to take their share of responsibility in the family life. Finland supports the efforts to combat violence against women in Kenya through local organisations and UN Women, the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.

Photo: Milma Kettunen, graphics: Juho Hiilivirta