In a significant step toward strengthening Kenya’s response to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), the Garissa Regional Office, in partnership with the National Police Service and Reinvent Kenya, conducted an intensive POLICARE capacity-building training for frontline SGBV actors. The programme, led by AIG Dolly Onyango and Reinvent Kenya’s Jaki Mbogo, brought together officers, health practitioners, social workers, and community service providers to sharpen their skills in delivering coordinated, survivorfocused care.
POLICARE — the Police-Community Assisted Response model — is designed to centralize SGBV services under a one-stop system. This approach integrates justice, health, and psychosocial support, enabling ~survivors to access legal redress, medical care, and counselling from a single, coordinated platform.
The training in Garissa focused on reinforcing case coordination, strengthening referral pathways, and promoting survivor-centred standards that uphold confidentiality, dignity, and human rights. Participants engaged in practical simulations, interactive discussions, and scenario-based exercises to deepen understanding of multidisciplinary collaboration in handling complex SGBV cases.
The Garissa POLICARE training directly addresses these gaps by fostering collaboration among police, healthcare providers, social workers, and community leaders. By unifying roles and clarifying responsibilities, the programme aims to reduce delays in case management, improve survivor experience, and ensure timely access to justice and support.
A central theme of the training was embedding survivor-centred standards into every stage of the response process. This includes immediate and compassionate response, thorough documentation, rapid referrals to medical and psychosocial support, and consistent follow-up to ensure recovery and justice.
By building a well-equipped, cohesive network of SGBV actors, the collaboration between NGEC Garissa, the National Police Service, and Reinvent Kenya accelerates the full operationalisation of the POLICARE model in the county.
