MOMBASA, Kenya – The brutal killing of a 17-year-old girl in Kilifi has sparked outrage and renewed calls for urgent reforms in Kenya’s approach to gender-based violence, with the International Justice Mission (IJM) condemning the attack and demanding swift justice.
Farida Kadzo Changawa, a survivor of a previous defilement case, was fatally stabbed on the evening of Friday, June 6, in the Madina area of Kijipwa, Kilifi County.
According to IJM Kenya, Farida had refused to accompany her boyfriend to a family function earlier that day.
She was reportedly attacked shortly after and died from her injuries after returning home.
Her murder has stunned the local community and rights advocates, not only because of her age but also because Farida was already navigating the justice system as a survivor of sexual violence.
The matter has been reported to the police, and investigations are ongoing.
In a statement on Wednesday, IJM Kenya decried the killing as part of a broader epidemic of violence against women and children in the country.
“Farida’s death is not about a ‘love triangle,’ as some media reports have carelessly suggested,” said Aggrey Juma, Senior Manager for Violence Against Women and Children at IJM Kenya. “It is about power, control, and the systemic failure to protect survivors.”
Juma urged the criminal justice system to pursue the case with urgency and for media outlets to avoid sensationalism and instead center the dignity and humanity of survivors.
“This case reflects a brutal reality—where poverty, gender inequality, and weak law enforcement converge to create deadly conditions for women and girls,” IJM said in the statement.
Farida’s story is emblematic of a nationwide crisis. Data from human rights groups shows that cases of femicide and violence against women continue to rise, particularly in rural and under-resourced areas.
Advocacy organizations have long complained that survivors are often retraumatized by sluggish investigations, limited psychosocial support, and poor witness protection.
IJM called on the public to stand in solidarity with survivors and demand accountability, saying Farida’s death must be a turning point.
“Farida’s life mattered,” said Juma. “Her story must not end in silence.”
The organization also emphasized the need for systemic change, including stronger protections for survivors, community education to challenge harmful gender norms, and more rigorous prosecution of gender-based crimes.
