Kenyan flower farm workers have been encouraged to report incidents of gender-based violence (GBV), according to Nancy Baraza, chairperson of the Technical Working Group on Gender-Based Violence, including Femicide. She highlighted that there is a significant prevalence of GBV in these farms, with many cases remaining unreported. This lack of reporting hampers the authorities’ ability to hold perpetrators accountable and prevent further incidents.
Women constitute approximately 70% of the workforce in the flower farms. They often face power imbalances, job insecurity, and limited avenues for reporting abuse, which makes them particularly vulnerable to exploitation. This situation is exacerbated by the high levels of unemployment in the country.
Kenya’s flower farms are among the largest globally, contributing around 1% to the country’s Gross Domestic Product. Research conducted in 2022 revealed that female floriculture workers experience high rates of sexual harassment and other forms of workplace violence.
