Increasing demands for spaces catering specifically to young girls surfacing due to growing concerns about grooming incidents
In the heart of Nairobi, the 5th Girls Assembly recently convened, themed "Legacy in Motion: Her Voice, Her Power, Our Future." The two-day event brought together girls from various regions, including Kibera, Homabay, Kajiado, Nairobi's informal settlements, and universities across the country.
The assembly was a platform for storytelling, art, innovation challenges, and intergenerational dialogue, all aimed at empowering participants to envision and build a just and inclusive future. Speakers at the event warned about the vulnerability of adolescent girls to grooming, exploitation, and exclusion from decision-making spaces.
Suba North Member of Parliament Millie Odhiambo expressed concern over the increasing number of early pregnancies among school-going girls, stating that it indicates grooming. She emphasized the need for policies on Sexual and Reproductive Health.
Jane Anyango, Founder and Director of Polycom Girls, stressed the importance of creating platforms for girls to express themselves. Polycom Girls, a Pan-African feminist and women-led organization, was present at the assembly, contributing to the discussions and workshops.
Through initiatives like the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI 2025) and The Equality Effect (e²), Kenya is implementing several current initiatives to combat grooming, exploitation, and exclusion of adolescent girls, both in schools and society. The AGCCI 2025, led by UN Women Kenya in partnership with Siemens AG, the African Union Commission, and the ITU, empowers adolescent girls and young women with digital skills, mentorship, and leadership training.
The Equality Effect (e²), a legal and community-based initiative, addresses sexual violence against adolescent girls by securing access to justice. It integrates a top-down and bottom-up approach, including law reform, training of police, prosecutors, and judges, and community education with children, families, teachers, and local leaders.
Community Coordinators for Adolescent Protection monitor adolescent pregnancies and ensure timely antenatal care, protecting young girls' health and well-being and reducing exclusion from school due to pregnancy. However, challenges such as funding cuts to global health programs have threatened HIV prevention and support programs, underscoring the need for sustainable support.
Local-level actors, such as Polycom Girls, contribute by providing mentorship and empowerment programs, creating safe spaces for education on sexual and reproductive health rights, advocating against gender-based violence, and for girls’ inclusion in schools and communities. They collaborate with government and international initiatives to extend reach and impact.
The assembly did not involve any advertisements. The group has initiated projects like the Feminsipre Innovation Challenge and partnered with organizations such as Daraja Letu Foundation. A recent exposé has involved allegations of grooming by a teacher at Alliance Girls High School, raising questions about the safety of girls in elite learning environments.
Participants at the Assembly urged leaders to commit to long-term investments in safe, inclusive spaces where girls can lead, thrive, and transform their communities. Kenya's current efforts involve multi-sectoral collaborations targeting empowerment through education and digital skills, systemic legal reforms for protection against sexual violence, and community engagement to support adolescent girls’ health and inclusion.
- The importance of mental health and personal growth was highlighted during the assembly, as speakers discussed the need for platforms where girls can express themselves and build a just and inclusive future.
- Programs like the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI 2025) and The Equality Effect (e²) aim to combat grooming, exploitation, and exclusion of adolescent girls by empowering them with digital skills, legal aid, and community education.
- In the context of women's health, concerns were raised about the increasing number of early pregnancies among school-going girls, emphasizing the need for policies on Sexual and Reproductive Health.
- The assembly emphasized the significance of education-and-self-development for girls, not just in academics but also in health-and-wellness, as community coordinators work to ensure timely antenatal care and protect girls' health and well-being.
