The Watoto Wetu Project is a transformative initiative under the Gender Justice programme whose focus is to reduce harmful cultural practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage at the national level and in the counties of Garissa, Kilifi, and Marsabit through advocacy, research, and community partnerships. This project contributes to the fulfillment of Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) on gender equality and women’s empowerment and aligns with Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which calls for protection against all forms of violence. The project seeks to achieve this through following objectives;
Objective 1: To increase awareness and government engagement on ending FGM and child marriage at the national level and in Garissa, Kilifi and Marsabit counties through advocacy and lobbying by 2027.
Objective 2: To enhance evidence-based programming and decision making for implementing partners and other stakeholders in Garissa and Marsabit towards ending FGM and child marriage through research by 2025.
Under Objective 1, the project seeks to build on the successes and lessons learnt during the previous 3 phases of the Watoto Wetu project implemented in Kajiado, Garissa and Marsabit between 2016 and 2024. Notable achievements include the completion and launch of the Kajiado County Eradication of FGM Policy in 2019,[1] the development of the Garissa Gender Policy launched in April 2022,[2] the development of the Marsabit Integrated Child Policy launched in March 2024,[3] and the revival of the Kenya Children Assemblies in Garissa County in July 2024. At national level, the project focuses on finalizing ongoing policy formulation processes towards addressing violence against children and child marriage in partnership with the Directorate of Children’s Services (DCS), the Anti-FGM Board and other civil society organizations over the 3-year period (2025 – 2027). At county level, specifically in Garissa and Marsabit, focu is on completing pending activities such as the dissemination and implementation of the Marsabit Integrated Child Policy, the completion of the Garissa Gender and Anti-FGM policies respectively and strengthening meaningful child participation in decision making through Children Assemblies in 2025. In 2026 and 2027, the project will transition to Kilifi County with focus on completing the development of the Kilifi Child policy towards addressing child marriage and other child rights violations and amplifying Children’s voices in decision making on gender equality and child protection through children assemblies.
Under Objective 2, the project’s focus is completing research on harmful cultural practices already initiated in Garissa and Marsabit in Phases II and III.
