Coalition on Violence Against Women (COVAW)

The Coalition on Violence Against Women (COVAW) is a Kenyan non-profit women’s rights organization established in 1995. It was founded in response to the silence of Kenyan society in addressing Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), following a workshop by Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF) that highlighted the need for a coalition to tackle VAWG and the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions .

Mission and Vision

• Mission: To champion the rights of women and girls to be free from all forms of violations.

• Vision: A society where women and girls enjoy equal rights, freedoms, and thrive in safe spaces.

Core Values

COVAW is guided by the following core values:

• Integrity: Commitment to the highest forms of accountability and honesty.

• Dignity: Belief in freedom of choice and autonomy regarding bodily integrity.

• Courage: Standing for what is right and just, taking bold steps to effect change.

• Solidarity: Inspired by diversity, equity, and equality, supporting women and girls to access social justice.

• Commitment: Passionate about working for the safety and wellbeing of women and girls.

Strategic Focus Areas

COVAW operates under five strategic focus areas:

1. Access to Comprehensive SGBV and SRHR Services: Enhancing bodily self-determination and reducing VAWG by offering comprehensive sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) responses and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services.

2. Women’s Economic Empowerment: Enabling women and girls to have greater and equal access and control over economic resources, opportunities, and assets.

3. Women’s Leadership Development: Increasing women and girls’ participation in leadership processes at all levels across all sectors.

4. Access to Justice: Increasing access to appropriate legal redress for victims and survivors of VAWG.

5. Institutional Development: Consolidating COVAW’s position as a dynamic, relevant, effective, and resilient institution.

Key Initiatives and Impact

• Anti-FGM Campaigns: COVAW has been instrumental in combating Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) through community dialogue forums, radio shows, and the establishment of anti-FGM school clubs, particularly in Narok County. These initiatives have reached thousands of boys and girls with key messages on the effects of FGM and the promotion of Alternative Rites of Passage .

• Legal Aid and Advocacy: The organization provides legal aid clinics, strategic litigation, and capacity building for law enforcement and judicial officers to improve the handling of SGBV cases. COVAW has also been a key player in the fight to pass the Domestic Violence Act in 2015 .

• Community Mobilization: Through the SASA! model, COVAW trains community activists to initiate conversations and reflections on power imbalances that perpetuate violence against women, aiming to change community norms and attitudes .

Contact Information

• Website: https://covaw.or.ke

• Email: info@covaw.or.ke

• Phone: +254 733 594 794 / 722 594 794

• Toll-Free Line: 0800 720 553

• Head Office: Njema Court, 1st Floor, M4, 12 Rhapta Road, Westlands, Nairobi.