A two-day workshop on gender violence ahead of the March 4 general election was launched yesterday in Isiolo.

Njoki Kinyanjui, the UN women officer in charge of gender programmes, said the workshop is aimed at creating awareness of gender violence before the elections. Kinyanjui said women and children always fall victim to violence.

She said there is need to protect girls and women during elections through proper planning and interventions by the government and humanitarian organisations. Kinyanjui said Isiolo town has been identified as a gender violence hotspot by the government.

She said the UN, the government and other humanitarian actors are preparing contingency plans against violence before the elections. Kinyanjui said the UN has come up with a situation room to monitor election malpractises.

The situation room comprises of staff, telephones, computers and contacts from all the regions in Kenya to monitor updates for timely response and action. The workshop brings together gender players from Isiolo, Marsabit, Moyale, Garba-Tulla and Merti districts.