First Lady Rachel Ruto has officially launched the My Dear Daughter campaign, a survivor- and mother-driven initiative aimed at combating harmful practices affecting girls in Kenya.
The event was held on Tuesday at Ole Sheda Grounds in Narok County during the national opening of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
The global campaign runs every year from November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, to December 10, Human Rights Day.
A Campaign to Protect Girls and End Harmful Traditions
Rachel Ruto described My Dear Daughter as a movement dedicated to ending female genital mutilation (FGM), preventing child marriages, and safeguarding the rights of girls, particularly in pastoralist communities such as the Maasai where these practices remain prevalent.
“There are moments when the pain of our daughters demands to be seen, not counted — when statistics become stories, when data becomes daughters,”
— First Lady Rachel Ruto
She stressed that violence against women and girls is not just a social challenge but a serious violation of human rights. According to her, cultural practices that harm girls cannot be defended or romanticized as tradition.
Rachel urged fathers and community leaders to take a central role in protecting girls, noting that the goal is not to erase culture but to transform it into a source of dignity rather than harm.
“Culture should be a crown, not a chain, for the girl child,” she added.
Voices From Leaders and Survivors
Former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, who echoed the First Lady’s sentiments, described violence against women as a “darkness that steals dreams, lives, and hope.”
He emphasized the need to build communities where survivors feel safe to speak out and report abuse.
A Call to Action
Rachel Ruto acknowledged the cultural complexity surrounding FGM and child marriage but encouraged women and parents to be courageous in protecting their daughters from practices that diminish their worth.
She applauded activists, community elders, and other partners working to end GBV and reaffirmed the Kenya Kwanza government’s commitment to safeguarding women and girls.