One night in July 1991, 300 boys broke into the girls' dormitory at St Kizito secondary school in central Kenya, hellbent on teaching their classmates a lesson. They raped 71 girls aged between 14 and 18. In the ensuing chaos, 19 girls were killed. The girls' perceived sin was to refuse to join a strike over school fees. This is no isolated case in my homeland. In March 2000, 26 girls were burnt to death in an arson attack on their dormitory at Bombululu secondary school in coastal Kenya. And in March 2006, 15 schoolgirls were raped in the central district of Nyeri as they staged a nighttime protest for better living conditions. Education needs to take place in an atmosphere where children feel secure and supported. The Kenyan government banned corporal punishment in schools in 2001 and the Children's Act that year entitles children to protection from abuse and violence. But there are still regular reports of beatings and violence, especially against girls in schools. Anecdotal evidence in many communities shows that when girls are supported, educated and nurtured into fulfilling careers, communities gain in terms of improved healthcare, smaller and manageable families, and female role models who inspire future generations.
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