IWD was formed in 2007 to help fight the then-high prevalence of rape and defilement cases in the sprawling slum of Korogocho and has since broadened its coverage to other parts of the Country, employing different strategies among them community mobilization, convening of community dialogue forums, awareness creation and sensitization, capacity building and skills enhancement, assertiveness and boundary setting training, and lobbying and advocacy, in its efforts to make communities and institutions safer and free from violence.
Since its inception, IWD has been at the forefront of GBV and violence against children (VAC) prevention efforts, the transformation of attitudes, behaviours and norms around GBV, VAC, and gender equality and other related issues in communities. To maximize these efforts, IWD works closely with like-minded state and non-state actors to promote accountability, enhance service provision, and promote agency for individuals and communities to claim their rights and demand better services including prevention and response to GBV and VAC and promotion of gender justice and equality within families, in communities and within institutions, embracing appropriate innovations to continuously improve internal and external processes, capabilities and effectiveness of interventions.
IWD’s intervention targets women and men/girls and boys, including those from marginalized and under-privileged communities. We also engage Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in our programming. In order to promote duty bearer accountability and a more inclusive approach to programming, we engage opinion shapers among them cultural, religious and administrative leaders as allies in efforts to prevent gender based violence (GBV) and violence against children (VAC), promote gender equality, women empowerment, and human rights, and reduce poverty.