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I want protection against rape and gender-based violence – M*

I come from Kibera slums where every other day you hear a case of young girls being raped and no action is taken. If today I’m raped, I may get pregnant and I am still young, I could just die because I don’t know anything about childbirth. If I have protection, I will be able to go to school without fear, I will be able to walk around without fear and I will achieve my goals and achieve my dream of becoming a doctor.

My friends also worry about themselves because of the stories around the slums; cases of girls being raped are many. The security police are aware, because most girls now report cases of rape, but the police don’t follow up with speed.
My parents should always protect me, the government also should ensure we live in safe spaces. My parents should ensure they watch over me, who they leave me with, when I come home, not to send me out at night.

I should be free to go to the hospital, if I need help and when I get there, I should be attended to. When I go to hospital and I’m not attended to, for example, if I have infection, I feel bad, I’m lost because for me that’s the safe place to go but most of us are turned away. My mother is the one who takes me to the hospital, sometimes I can sneak and go ask nurses questions by myself.

I have seen girls in my class suffering because they use pieces of clothes when they are on their periods. We usually get pads from school, but they also run out, some of us share with our sisters so you run out of the pads, and you have no option. It is usually embarrassing. Some girls decide not to come to school. Sometimes we may have pads, but we don’t have panties, so it would be nice if we can access affordable panties too.

My dream is for girls to be free to go to school and achieve their goals with no interruption or fear. I want girls who are raped to be able to get justice.

*Name withheld to protect privacy
**Featured photo not associated with story

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