Survivor-Defined Priorities to Prevent and Respond to Violence Against Women in Nairobi’s Informal Settlements

Violence against women (VAW) is highly prevalent in Kenya and is especially concentrated in informal settlements, where poverty, inadequate infrastructure, and limited protection systems heighten exposure to harm and constrain help-seeking and exit. Although research has increasingly examined violence prevention and response in these settings, less is known about how women with lived experience of VAW understand the conditions needed to prevent violence, interrupt ongoing harm, and sustain safety. This study examined survivor-defined priorities across Kibera and Mathare, two informal settlements in Nairobi. We conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 36 women and analyzed the transcripts using inductive thematic analysis. Analysis identified three interconnected themes: material conditions of safety and autonomy; accessibility and trust in systems of support; and social and relational conditions sustaining violence. Across these themes, participants emphasized economic autonomy; safe and reliable infrastructure; knowledge of rights and referral pathways; responsive and accountable institutions; accessible, confidential, and continuous formal support; social connection and informal support; and transformation of gender norms, including engagement with men and boys. These priorities did not map neatly onto a single stage of prevention but operated across preventing violence, interrupting ongoing harm, and supporting longer-term safety and recovery. The findings underscore the need for VAW strategies in informal settlements that address the interconnected material, institutional, and relational conditions shaping women’s capacity for safety.