As more and more countries enforce lockdowns to slow the spread of COVID-19, the rates of sexual and gender-based violence around the world seem to be increasing. Justice Martha Koome, currently a Judge of the High Court and Court of Appeal where she heads the Criminal Division, joins us to discuss what measures the judiciary has taken to address sexual and gender based violence in crisis situations.

Starting her legal career in private practice in 1987, she successfully founded Martha Koome & Co Advocates in 1993. While in private practice, she distinguished herself as a defender of Human Rights specializing on family law and taking up high impact litigation geared towards the development of law on the principles of equality and non-discrimination on the basis of one’s gender.

Justice Martha Koome is currently She was Chairperson of Federation of Kenya Women Lawyers (FIDA KENYA), and part of the team involved in the drafting of several Bills intended to address violence against women and children. She was elected by the African Heads of State Summit Held in May 2005 at Sirte, Libya to serve in the African Union Committee on the Rights and Welfare of Children (ACRWC) where she served for 5 years.

She was appointed by the Chief Justice of Kenya on behalf of the National Council for the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) as Chairperson of the Special Task Force on Children Matters. This was a multi-sectoral Task Force which has just concluded a comprehensive review of child law, policy, rules of procedure and practice directions; infrastructure of child holding; coordination and training of actors in juvenile justice.