Article by PBI-Canada

On March 23, PBI-Kenya posted: “Check out this report with Toolkit Organizer Editar Ochieng who defends women’s rights and helps survivors of sexual abuse. She shares about her work, her story, and shows Les Émissions CANAL+ Afrique the murals made with the support of Peace Brigades International-Kenya Project.”

Editar says: “Violence against women is very common in Kibera and many people have normalized it. So many women experience violence and they do not talk about it because they think it is normal, especially women experiencing violence in their relationships.”

She adds: “For violence to reduce you must stand up strongly.”

In the CANAL+ interview, Editar talks about the murals in urban settlements. PBI-Kenya has noted: “Murals are effective in communicating messages of change.”

PBI-Kenya helped develop the ‘Toolkit for WHRDs in Nairobi’s Urban Settlements’ in 2016. The Toolkit Organizers network grew out of that. It is comprised of fifteen women human rights defenders (including Editar) from the urban settlements of Kibera, Langata, Kawangaware, Mukuru, and Mathare.

PBI-Kenya has also highlighted: “Editar is an authentic, courageous and transformational leader. As a proud and radical intersectional feminist, she doesn’t apologize for challenging power dynamics and patriarchal systems that oppress women systematically. Editar is a happily independent mother who raises her children using a feminist approach.”

Editar is also the founder of Feminists for Peace, Rights and Justice Centre.

To watch that CANAL+ video (in French), click here.

For more about Editar in her own words, please click here.

On June 3, 2020, Editar spoke on this PBI-UK-organized webinar. Watch it here.