Different players from the East Africa region member states have called for full implementation of key policies in the quest to protect the rights of young girls and women from being violated.

Led by Kenya Alliance for Advancement of Children rights (KAACR) Director Timothy Wekesa, they emphasized on the need to implement the laws that protect the girl child from violation of their rights among them sexual exploitation.

Speaking during a regional workshop held in Mombasa while marking the 16 days of activism, the players drawn from Kenya Ethiopia, Uganda and other east Africa member states regretted that young women have continued to get abused despite laws being available.

“We have laws but implementation has been the impendent, and what we encourage is all players to push and ensure enough advocacy to girl child to ensure rights of children are fully adhered to,” said Wekesa.

KAACR is a national umbrella body for non-governmental organisations cooperation and exchange of information on children's rights in Kenya. They have a membership of over 189 child-focused agencies in Kenya.

The organization which promotes the rights of children and girl child rights said it is determined to suppress the violations mated against girl child in the east Africa region.

Kenya is among the countries implementing the ‘SHE LEADS’ program funded by the Netherlands sponsors that is targeting to create spaces for girl children to realize their lifetime dreams.

“We are working hard to eliminate the social norms that bar girl children from achieving their lifetime dreams and careers, this is something we want to do away with by ensuring that more girls get into leadership,” said Wekesa.

On her part Milka Moraa Ngare, a member of the Mombasa county assembly reiterated that the girl child needs to be protected with proper laws that protect their rights and empower them to move forward.

“We want to ensure we put policies that empower and protect the girl child rights in the East Africa region,” said Ngare.

Ugandan Mp and the Chairperson of the Parliament committee of gender labor and social development Kabahenda Rwahubiro emphasized on the need to advocate against sex exploitation for children.

"You know the girl child was one of the twelve critical areas of the Beijing platform for action and they were even involved in the crafting of the convention on the elimination of discrimination against Women and so we are here in the sixteen days of activism against gender based violence to protect the young girls and Women against exploitation." said 

Adding "  As Uganda we have a number of legislations and policy frameworks and as we are talking we are working on the legal aid bill to support the young girl to be able to get appropriate justice and also working on sexual offence bill to protect young girls against sexual exploitation."

On her part Ethiopian Mp and the Chairperson of Women Caucus in the Ethiopian parliament Kimia Jundi called on policy makers to be on the forefront in advocating for the rights of the girl child and Women.

"This is the only way our countries and region will prosper and also ensure that our girls are safe" said Jundi.