National Assembly Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss has asked the Ministry of Interior to consider moving Gender Desks from police stations to health facilities.
Boss argues that with hospitals, dispensaries and health facilities being the first place people go to in an event of gender-based violence (GBV), having the desks in the facilities would help enhance access to justice.
“If someone is attacked, they first to go the hospital not the police. Same case when a child is defiled,” noted the Uasin Gishu County Woman Member of Parliament.
“A victim should not be taken back and forth. Instead of having to go to the hospital then later going to the police for a P3 form, those gender desks can still be at the health facilities,” she added.
The legislator said she has already made the request to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen whom she is waiting to act on it.
“We had put in this request and we’re still asking that the issue be looked into,” she added.
The legislator spoke on Monday, November 10, 2025, during the launch of the Administration of Justice in Kenya Annual Report 2024/25, alongside the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Guiding Framework for Kenya’s Justice Sector 2025.
What do gender desks do?
Gender desks are specialized units within police stations, launched in 2004, to handle cases of gender-based violence (GBV) and child abuse.
The desks provide a safer, more confidential environment for survivors to report offenses and offer support services, aiming to encourage more reporting and ensure a dignified response from law enforcement.
They offer a safe and confidential space for victims to report GBV and child abuse, which may have previously been difficult due to fear, stigma, or lack of privacy.
The desks are designed to provide a more sensitive and effective response to GBV, focusing on survivor rights and dignity.
They also connect survivors with support services and provide immediate safety, sometimes including safe shelters or separate facilities for vulnerable individuals.
