KENYA ELECTIONS: UNIFEM ROLLS OUT GENDER RAPID RESPONSE UNIT TO COUNTER VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN CANDIDATES

UNCLASSIFIED UNCLAS NAIROBI 004248 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KDEM, PGOV, PREL, KCOR, KE SUBJECT: KENYA ELECTIONS: UNIFEM ROLLS OUT GENDER RAPID RESPONSE UNIT TO COUNTER VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN CANDIDATES REF: A. NAIROBI 4234 B. NAIROBI 3675 C. NAIROBI 1669 (U) On 18 October, UNIFEM launched a Gender Rapid Response Unit (GRRU) to assist women who are subjected to physical violence or intimidation as a result of their political activities. The stand up of the GRRU is a response to a spate of physical attacks and intimidation aimed at women candidates for party nomination races and eventual parliamentary races for the upcoming general elections (reftels A and B). GRRU will provide referral services to victims for medical attention, psycho-social counseling, and provide legal assistance to institute legal proceedings against perpetrators of violence or intimidation. To the disappointment of some women candidates, GRRU will not offer direct candidate security services, but has offered to provide training to candidates? security personnel. Although the USG is not directly funding this program, all USG election activities take into account other donors? programs so as to achieve the desired outcome: free, transparent, and peaceful elections (reftel C). RANNEBERGER