On Thursday 30 August 2007, thousands of women, men, boys and girls wearing red t-shirts with the words printed safe Kenya for women and girls' marched through the busy Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi from Uhuru park to Charter Hall,   dancing, singing and chanting the campaign slogan "Women Won't Wait End HIV and Violence Against Women. Now!

The launch of the Women Won't Wait Campaign was organised by a coalition of NGOs, CBOs and government parastatals hosted by the Action Aid-Kenya. At Charter Hall, participants were entertained by different artists with songs and choral verses on the theme A safe Kenya where women and girls are free from violence and HIV/AIDs'. A presentation on the Campaign background was given by a renowned AIDs activist Ms. Ludefine Anyango. She noted that there was need for all stakeholders to understand the systematic and fundamental interlinkages between violence against women and girls (VAW/G) and HIV/AIDS. Ms. Queen Katembu, a coalition member, gave an overview of the Campaign strategy for the next 3 years. The Campaign  targets all Kenyans including policy makers, legislators and judicial systems, health professionals and all women and men in the villages and household levels to sensitise and empower them on strategies to put an end to VAW/G and thereby reduce HIV/AIDS.

The African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET)'s project of Men for Gender Equality Now (MEGEN) played a key role in mobilizing participants to the public march. They also invited survivors of domestic and sexual violence to share their stories on VAW and its impact in their lives and society. One lady by the name Carol* moved participants to tears as she narrated how she had suffered and had been maimed by her ex-husband. Carol, a mother of three boys, had been married for five years and had been living in total fear as her husband would occasionally beat her senseless over any domestic wrangles.

Although she had been silent on the beatings, things got worse when her husband started demanding that she gets  young girls to entertain him sexually. Despite threats and beatings, Carol refused and ran away with her children back to her parents home. Unfortunately, one day she was accosted by the ex-husband who maliciously poured petrol on her and set her ablaze. Carol suffered 75% degree burns and went on a coma for four months. Since then has life has changed drastically and she has been in and out of hospital, struggling with huge bills. Carol's family sought the assistance from FEMNET's MEGEN project to ensure that justice prevailed. Carol's husband was arrested and has been in remand although there have been attempts by his friend to bail him out. Read more....