First Lady Mama Rachel Ruto has called for stronger international cooperation in tackling gender-based violence, femicide, human trafficking and the growing threat of online exploitation of children.
The First Lady said the interconnected nature of these challenges required countries to move beyond isolated responses and work together in sharing experiences, strengthening systems and protecting vulnerable populations.
She called for a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, bringing together the health, education, security and justice sectors alongside civil society, faith institutions, communities, employers and financial institutions.
“We need a whole-of-government and whole-of-society response; health, education, security and justice working alongside civil society, faith institutions and communities,” she said.
The First Lady said the Kenya-Romania engagement presented an opportunity for the two countries to learn from each other and develop practical areas of cooperation.
“We could have continued confronting these challenges separately, within our own borders. Instead, we have chosen the more courageous path,” she noted.
She noted that human trafficking had also evolved into increasingly complex forms, including the exploitation of victims in Southeast Asian cyber-scam compounds, requiring stronger international coordination in prevention, rescue, repatriation and prosecution.
The First Lady further raised concern over the growing threat of online exploitation of children, noting that authorities received more than 46,000 reports of online child sexual abuse material in 2023.
She revealed that Kenya was responding by strengthening child protection through initiatives such as the ‘Voice of Children Initiative’, which focuses on the provision, protection and participation of children.
The First Lady said creating safer digital spaces for children also required stronger collaboration between governments, technology stakeholders, parents, communities and other actors.
She added that employers and financial institutions had an important role to play in preventing exploitation, identifying suspicious transactions and disrupting financial networks associated with human trafficking.
The First Lady noted that economic empowerment was also an important part of protection, particularly in reducing the vulnerabilities that expose women and girls to exploitation.
On gender-based violence and femicide, First Lady Mama Rachel Ruto said Kenya had made significant progress in bringing the issues into national focus.
“Femicide has moved from a word we avoided to a word we now say clearly, in our homes, in our institutions, and in our government. We have listened, county by county, to survivors and families who have waited too long for justice,” she said.
She noted that in 2025, the Government established a Presidential Technical Working Group on Gender-Based Violence to examine gaps in legislation and its enforcement and recommend stronger measures for prevention, investigation and survivor support.
The National Police Service has also strengthened specialised attention to femicide and missing persons, while the national toll-free GBV helpline, 1195, continues to provide round-the-clock counselling and referrals for medical care, shelter and legal assistance.
The First Lady said the progress made so far demonstrated the importance of sustained partnerships and accountability in addressing the challenges.
Her sentiments were echoed by the Ambassador of Romania to Kenya, Gentiana Șerbu, who said Romania was committed to working closely with Kenya and developing areas of cooperation.
Cabinet Secretary for Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage Hanna Wendot Cheptumo said Kenya had made significant efforts in addressing the threats, while Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Gladys Shollei called for concerted efforts to ensure the effective implementation of existing laws.
“We need more collaboration to have safer spaces for our children. Parents must also not abet or become compromised through the wrong channels, but instead help the police investigate and prosecute,” she said.
Shollei also urged the media to go beyond highlighting cases of abuse and exploitation and actively condemn such practices.
