The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC), through its Malindi Regional Office, has deepened its community outreach efforts by hosting A Smile from Kenya Van organisation dedicated to empowering vulnerable groups through psychosocial support, vocational skills, and income generating programmes.
The engagement, held in Malindi, centred on building stronger partnerships in complaints handling, public education, and redress mechanisms with a particular focus on supporting survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), especially girls.
Speaking during the meeting, representatives from both organisations underscored the importance of collaboration in bridging gaps between national human rights mechanisms and community-level realities. The partnership, they said, represents a shared commitment to advancing equality, fostering healing, and building safer spaces for women and girls.
For the Commission, such engagements reflect its broader mission: ensuring that human rights and gender equality are not just principles enshrined in law, but lived experiences for all Kenyans particularly those most at risk of exclusion and harm. As NGEC continues to strengthen its presence at the grassroots, partnerships like this one serve as a reminder that transformative change begins in communities where empathy, awareness, and action converge to build a more just and equal society.
