As part of ongoing efforts to integrate safeguarding mechanisms into the day-to-day governance of athletics training camps,

Centre for Enhancing Democracy and Good Governance., with support from UNFPA Kenya and in collaboration with local duty bearers, has conducted a meaningful and impactful technical support visit today at Kiprun Athletes Training Camp in Iten.

This visit, part of a broader initiative to support selected camps in adopting the 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 (𝗦𝗢𝗣𝘀) on 𝗚𝗕𝗩/𝗦𝗘𝗔 (𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿-𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗩𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 / 𝗦𝗲𝘅𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗔𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁), featured three focused and well-attended 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 (𝗙𝗚𝗗𝘀) with different stakeholder groups within the camp: the management, male athletes, and female athletes.

𝐅𝐆𝐃 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐀𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐬

In a safe and open forum, male athletes discussed GBV/SEA from their perspective, with key issues emerging around 𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗕𝗩/𝗦𝗘𝗔, The 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, and the 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝘆, 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀. A standout recommendation from the group was the incorporation of 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀 in camps to address growing cases of domestic violence. Social and gender norms that often position men as the “final voice” were also highlighted as barriers to open dialogue and reporting.

𝐅𝐆𝐃 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐅𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐀𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐬

The session provided a critical space for female athletes to reflect on their 𝗱𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴

and the 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗮𝗽𝘀 within the camp. Their feedback underscored the importance of formalizing protection structures and they expressed 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗢𝗣 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, seeing it as a step toward safer, more empowering environments for women in sport.

𝐅𝐆𝐃 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

The discussion with the Kiprun management team revealed a strong foundation in managing SEA and GBV, though current mechanisms were acknowledged as not yet comprehensive. The management expressed 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 by integrating the SOPs into their operations. CEDGG commended the camp for its𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 to athlete safety and well-being.

“𝑾𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒕 𝑲𝒊𝒑𝒓𝒖𝒏 𝑪𝒂𝒎𝒑. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒋𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒚 𝒕𝒐𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍 𝑺𝑶𝑷 𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆,” noted the CEDGG team lead.

As the visit concludes, all parties have recognized the importance of continued collaboration and ongoing support to transform these camps into model environments of safety, respect, and dignity.