When Care Counts: Ending Violence Against Women in All Spaces

As the world observes the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (2025) under the theme “UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls,” it is a time to reflect on the many forms of violence that women and girls face, both offline and online. This year’s theme challenges us to look beyond physical abuse and consider how structural inequalities, the undervaluation of care work, and the lack of protections for women create conditions where violence can thrive.

Across Kenya, women and girls carry the overwhelming burden of care. From cooking and cleaning to looking after children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities, women perform tasks that keep families, communities, and even the national economy functioning. Yet, much of this labor is invisible and unrecognized. Unpaid care work is often considered a private obligation rather than an essential contribution to society, and those who perform it face significant economic and social vulnerabilities. The reality is that when care is undervalued, women’s opportunities shrink, their time is consumed by responsibilities that others take for granted, and their exposure to violence and exploitation increases.

Women who enter paid domestic work encounter a different but equally precarious reality. Domestic workers, who are predominantly women, often work long hours under low pay, with little legal protection or access to social safety nets. A 2025 study by Oxfam Kenya found that nearly sixty percent of domestic workers reported experiencing some form of abuse, whether emotional, economic, or physical. Many live in isolation, confined to the homes where they work, unable to seek help or speak out for fear of losing their livelihoods. The combination of invisibility, dependence, and isolation renders them particularly vulnerable, highlighting the urgent need for structural change.

The 2025 campaign theme also calls attention to the growing threat of digital violence. Technology has created new spaces for women and girls to connect, advocate for their rights, and access resources. However, it has also provided new avenues for harassment, threats, cyber-stalking, and image-based exploitation. Women who are already vulnerable, particularly those engaged in domestic and care work, may face online abuse that compounds their offline risks. Digital violence has become an extension of the structural inequalities that persist in the real world, making it crucial to consider protection in both spheres.

The link between care work, inequality, and violence becomes tragically clear when one considers stories like that of Zeituni Kavayo, a domestic worker whose life was cut short in Nairobi. Her experience illustrates the extreme consequences of undervaluing care and neglecting protection. Her story, while heartbreaking, is not unique. Across Kenya, femicide and gender-based violence continue to claim the lives of women, often in contexts where their labor is exploited, their rights ignored, and their work invisibilized.

Youth Alive Kenya recognizes that ending violence against women requires more than awareness campaigns; it demands structural change. Through the Time to Care  and We Care project  under the Social Well-being and Gender Equity pillar, the organization has worked to ensure that care work is recognized, valued, and protected. Across Nairobi, Mombasa, Kiambu, and Nakuru, Youth Alive Kenya has facilitated engagement between care workers, employers, and county officials to build understanding, accountability, and safer working conditions. Care workers’ federations are empowered to participate in policy advocacy, engage in county-level planning and budgeting, and hold duty-bearers accountable for recognizing their labor and protecting their rights. Research on time- and labor-saving infrastructure has further highlighted the need for access to water, energy, childcare, and transportation, reducing the burden of care and creating space for women to pursue education, economic participation, and leadership opportunities.

At the same time, Youth Alive Kenya has focused on reshaping public narratives around care. Society often treats care as women’s duty, rather than recognizing it as essential work that sustains families, communities, and the economy. Through campaigns, convenings, and community engagement, the organization has challenged these perceptions, advocating for the redistribution, recognition, reward, and representation of care work. Such efforts are central to reducing women’s vulnerability to violence, both online and offline.

The reality is that violence against women cannot be addressed in isolation. Protecting women from abuse requires tackling the underlying social and economic inequalities that create vulnerability. When care work is invisible, unpaid, or undervalued, women’s time and economic independence are constrained, limiting their ability to protect themselves and increasing exposure to exploitation. Digital violence adds another layer of risk, targeting women who are already marginalized or working in precarious conditions. Addressing both offline and online threats is therefore essential for meaningful protection.

As Kenya marks the 16 Days of Activism, Youth Alive Kenya calls on all sectors to take action. Governments and policymakers must integrate care work into social protection, labor, and digital safety policies, ensuring that women and girls are safeguarded from all forms of violence. Employers must recognize the dignity of care work, provide fair pay, and protect workers from abuse. Communities must challenge norms that assign care responsibilities solely to women and girls, promoting equitable sharing of domestic responsibilities. Digital platforms must create safe online spaces and respond effectively to reports of harassment or abuse. Finally, youth and civil society must amplify the connection between care justice and gender-based violence prevention, advocating for structural reforms that protect women and value their work.

This year’s theme, “UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls,” is more than a slogan. It is a call to recognize that protecting women requires attention to both physical and virtual spaces and to the systemic factors that perpetuate vulnerability. By valuing care, investing in infrastructure, enforcing labor protections, and ensuring safety online, Kenya can create an environment where women and girls live free from violence and exploitation.

The 16 Days of Activism reminds us that every action counts, and every life matters. Care work must be recognized and rewarded, women must be protected in all spheres of life, and digital spaces must be made safe. Youth Alive Kenya is committed to these goals through the Time to Care project and its ongoing work on social well-being and gender equity. As communities, policymakers, employers, and civil society unite, the vision is clear: a Kenya where care counts, violence is prevented, and dignity is restored for all women and girls.

Written by Rahma Issa

Program Officer, Youth Alive! Kenya