Apex bank partners Facebook, Kenya to curb cyber-violence against women

18:45 - 10 March 2016

The new president of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Akinwumi Adesina of Nigeria speaks during his investiture ceremony in Abidjan September 1, 2015. REUTERS/Luc Gnago

The partnership was cemented at an event, which took place in Nairobi, Kenya, on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, as part of the Bank's activities to mark International Women's Day.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) is partnering with Facebook, the Kenya ICT Authority, Judiciary and the Kenya Police to increase awareness on cyber-based gender violence.

The Bank was represented by its Special Envoy on Gender, Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, and the Regional Director for East Africa, Gabriel Negatu.

The partnership will help the Kenya Police and Judiciary build their capacity to handle gender-based cyber violence. This partnership became necessary because online violence against women and girls is rampant in Kenya as in many parts of Africa, but is not being addressed adequately, especially due to lack of data.

"This is a new area. When we look at cyberspace, it is not something we can say there has been adequate data gathered on. But what we have seen is more cases of women being harassed," said Fraser-Moleketi.

The 2014 Kenya Demographic Health Survey indicates that 41 % of women aged between 15-49 years have experienced violence.