European Union Ambassador to Kenya Henriette Geiger has said the EU has invested millions in the fight against gender based violence with more emphasis on female genital mutilation (FGM), which she termed a stumbling block to social and economic growth in the country.

Ms Geiger said the EU has been engaging with communities through dialogue with elders and youth among others to change their perception about FGM citing use of caravans dubbed Born Perfect, which frontline activists use to traverse villages to convince residents that FGM is an outdated tradition that is motional and physically harmful to women.

Speaking when she led a delegation during a courtesy call on the governor in Iten, the ambassador said the EU has resolved to engage the community directly on the subject of FGM in Kenya. She observed that the law alone cannot change cultural norms stretching centuries back.

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Kenya Deputy Representative Pilar de la Corte Molina said after talks with athletes on GBV that the UN agency had realised that, despite having developed standard operations procedures (SOP’s) for training camps there were still many challenges facing athletes.

“We are happy to have contributed to a better training environment but we still have a lot of work to do to ensure that athletes can thrive and focus on their training without being worried of being harassed,” she said.

Cabinet Secretary for Gender Hannah Cheptumo said 30 per cent of women aged between 15-49 years have experienced GBV in the county, saying the government was working with all partners to combat the vice.

Deputy Governor Grace Cheserek said the county will ensure all training camps enforce the SOPs, adding that it will regulate all coaches by ensuring they are registered and issued with certificates.

She added that they were also planning to empower the athletes with legal education so that they are knowledgeable when signing contracts.

The deputy governor said the county has between 4,000-5,000 athletes both local and international saying some of the challenges raised by athletes was lack of a government owned training camp which can accommodate upcoming athletes.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Alice Wanjiru