By Project Red Lipstick: A National Call to End Femicide in Kenya
In a powerful and urgent appeal to the Government of Kenya, Usikimye, a leading gender-based violence (GBV) advocacy organization, has submitted a comprehensive memorandum to the Femicide Taskforce.
The document outlines Kenya’s femicide crisis and introduces Project Red Lipstick a multi-pronged national campaign designed to raise awareness, shift public discourse, and push for legal recognition of femicide as a distinct crime.
A Nation in Crisis
Kenya is grappling with an escalating femicide epidemic that continues to claim the lives of women and girls across all ages and regions. Despite growing public concern, femicide remains unclassified as a distinct crime under Kenyan law. Consequently, this legal gap undermines prosecution, data collection, and policy response.
The memorandum highlights ten deeply disturbing cases from toddlers to elderly women that expose the state’s systemic failure to protect women and hold perpetrators accountable. These are not isolated incidents; rather, they form part of a widespread and gendered pattern of violence.
What Is Project Red Lipstick?
Developed by Ogilvy Africa and WPP Scangroup in partnership with Usikimye, Project Red Lipstick is both symbolic and action-driven. The red lipstick a universal emblem of femininity and strength has been reimagined as a rallying cry against femicide.
This campaign integrates social media activism, community outreach, influencer mobilization, legal lobbying, and corporate partnerships. Altogether, its four main goals are:
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Raise public awareness of femicide and gender-based violence.
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Challenge harmful societal narratives that normalize or excuse violence against women.
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Push for legal recognition of femicide as a distinct and severe criminal offense.
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Foster a culture of safety, equality, and zero tolerance for GBV.
Project Red Lipstick: A National Call to End Femicide in Kenya
Campaign in Action
The campaign’s strategy mirrors the complexity of the crisis it addresses. Online, hashtags like #MakeFemicideACrime and #EndFemicideKe amplify survivor stories and generate widespread public discourse.
Offline, a limited-edition Kenyan Flag Red lipstick—developed in collaboration with Joanna K Cosmetics—acts as both a conversation starter and a fundraising tool for GBV support programs.
At the same time, influencers, podcasters, and media platforms are helping spread the message. Meanwhile, a Change.org petition has already collected more than 91,000 signatures, urging the Kenyan government to criminalize femicide.
Unmasking the Tragedy: Stories That Demand Justice
The memorandum includes heart-wrenching case studies such as:
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Masa Mayeshe, 9, who was raped and murdered in Nairobi. Her killer still walks free.
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Charity Mukami Machira, a 30-year-old insurance worker, who was bludgeoned to death in her own home. Her husband remains at large.
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Lydia Tokesi, 29, who was mutilated and dumped in a forest after visiting her boyfriend.
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Tamara Kabura, only 7, who was lured, raped, and buried in a Nyeri slum.
Each of these cases is a painful reminder that many Kenyan women and girls remain unsafe in their homes, schools, relationships, and public spaces.
Legislative Demands and System Reform
Project Red Lipstick is more than a campaign it is a roadmap for national reform. Usikimye is calling for the enactment of a distinct Femicide Law, which would:
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Define femicide clearly and separately from general homicide.
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Recognize various forms of femicide, including intimate partner, cultural (such as child marriage), and systemic violence.
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Provide for mandatory minimum sentencing, without the possibility of pardon.
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Mandate timely prosecution of cases—ideally within six months of reporting.
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Protect children left behind, including removing them from violent households.
Additionally, the memorandum calls for structural improvements: the appointment of dedicated femicide prosecutors, mandatory gender-sensitivity training for police and judges, and the expansion of forensic infrastructure to support evidence-based investigations.
Finally, can read more on https://africabusinessnews.co.ke/why-is-femicide-not-treated-as-a-separate-crime-yet/
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