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At least 188,760 children experienced various forms of violence in the 2022/2023 Financial Year, a National Council on Administration of Justice (NCAJ) report shows.

According to the report, Nairobi County led with 23,261 cases, followed by Kiambu (12,271) and Nakuru (10,457).

Other counties with high cases of violence are Machakos with 9,692, Kakamega 8,252, Bungoma 6,724, Migori 6,465, Embu 6,141 while Kisumu and Siaya had 5,485 and 5,102 cases respectively.

Nandi had the lowest cases of child violence reported with 517, followed by Marsabit 569, Wajir 571 and Lamu 723.

“Pursuant to the requirements of the Judicial Service Act (No. 1 of 2011), the NCAJ is required to prepare an Annual Report on the Administration of Justice in Kenya, that is eventually submitted to the National Assembly,” the report states.

The report also states that the Directorate of Children Services remained at the forefront in addressing violence against children, with joint parental agreement being the highest form of tackling the problem at 25.7 per cent.

Other interventions included child maintenance at 20.7 per cent, commitment to government statutory institutions at 14.3 per cent, re-integration, repatriation and reconciliation at 9.4 while family support was at 7.2 per cent.

The report has also shown that the total number of reported offenses committed by children in the same period stood at 1,990.

Gender-based

Diverse interventions were instituted to meet the specific needs of children in conflict with the law, with 35 per cent being supervision with court orders, 24 per cent was supervision without court orders, 13 per cent committed to government statutory institution while nine and seven per cent were put to professional counseling and referring to court respectively.

On handling of children cases in courts, NCAJ said that 4,983 cases of children in conflict with the law were filed in all courts with 4,866 cases being resolved.

At the same time, 8,444 Sexual and Gender Based Violence related cases were filed in Magistrates’ courts across the country, with 10,222 being resolved.

On other issues, the report states that 5,349 reports were processed by Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission (EACC).