NAIROBI, Kenya Jun 11 – Kenya’s street population has dropped significantly over the past seven years, but women and girls living on the streets continue to face disproportionate risks of violence, abuse, and deprivation, according to the 2025 National Census of Street Families.

📻 Breaking It Down

The census, conducted by the Street Families Rehabilitation Trust Fund (SFRTF) in collaboration with the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and other partners, found that there are 18,049 street-connected persons across the country, down from 46,639 recorded in 2018.

However, the report released yesterday paints a troubling picture for women living in street situations.

While females account for only 21.4 per cent of the street population, they bear a heavier burden of violence and caregiving responsibilities.

📌 What You Need to Know

According to the findings, 41.5 per cent of female survivors of violence reported experiencing sexual abuse, compared to just 2.6 per cent of male survivors.

Emotional abuse was also higher among women at 26.3 per cent, compared to 15.8 per cent among men.

The report further revealed that among the 2,243 female street persons aged 10 years and above, 58.2 per cent were living with their children on the streets.

Among young mothers aged between 10 and 24 years, two-thirds (66.6 per cent) were raising children while living in street situations.

The findings underscore the vulnerability of women and children who often endure unsafe living conditions, limited access to healthcare and protection services, and heightened exposure to gender-based violence.

Despite the overall decline in street populations, nearly 29 percent of street-connected persons reported having lived on the streets for more than a decade, highlighting persistent barriers to housing, education, healthcare, and employment.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya