Tilting the status quo

Published on

Brenda Kageni

Monica Amollo, Executive Director, Kenya Women’s Shadow Parliament

Through the Kenya Women’s Shadow Parliament, Monica Amolo, Executive Director, has been building capacity for Parliament and local authorities’ leadership among rural women.

She lobbies and advocates that women belong to political parties as an avenue to get to Parliament.

"We are giving Kenyan women a chance to be seen. We want as many women in Parliament as possible. Women have been left out of decision-making. Men only take up the affirmative action stance during campaigns to lure women to vote for them, Amollo says.She adds: "In this country, men fear women. Women are more steadfast, focused and not corrupt. They fear they will influence Bills that will make it impossible for them to steal".

Monica Amollo, Executive Director, Kenya Women’s Shadow Parliament

The organisation works through constituency assemblies and small village parliaments that show how gender ought to be mainstreamed in leadership.

Half of the slots in the management committees are women’s, 30 per cent youth and 20 per cent men.

This is the same model they want to take to Parliament.

They also discuss all Bills passed in Parliament at the community level to give citizens a chance to know and understand laws made on their behalf and to voice what it is they wish were in the Bills.

"It is an opportunity to articulate their agenda and audit their leaders," says Amollo.

The main aim of the organisation is to give Kenyan women a chance to see their potential in leadership, hence cultivate a culture where women can stand up for elective politics and where they can vote in other women.

The parliament is so far in 25 constituencies, hoping to reach all 210.

Deborah Okumu

Executive Director, Kenya Women’s Political Caucus (KWPC)

She has been at the forefront in advocating for economically and socially just gendered government policies.

Deborah Okumu, Executive Director, Kenya Women’s Political Caucus (KWPC)

She is an ardent researcher on gender and women’s issues and is at the moment writing a book on the search towards a new paradigm on gender mainstreaming and women’s empowerment.

As the Executive Director of KWPC, Okumu continues to promote the participation of women in politics and governance at various administrative levels by influencing policy formulation and implementation.

Their mission is to enhance and facilitate the attainment of gender equity and equality in decision-making structures and elective leadership.

KWPC has made remarkable progress through lobbying and advocacy in affirmative action, and gender mainstreaming in political parties, constitutional review process, policy and legislation. The caucus is composed of women politicians and parliamentarians, specialised non-governmental women’s organisations, gender activists and individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to promoting gender-responsive and democratic political system and institutions.

Ann Njogu,

Executive Director, Centre for Rights Education and Awareness (Creaw)

Ann Njogu has been at the forefront fighting gender-based violence and discrimination and promoting equality and justice through Creaw, a non-government organisation.

Ann Njogu, Executive Director, Centre for Rights Education and Awareness (Creaw)

The Creaw, which she co-founded, provides legal aid for survivors of abuse, advocates for women’s rights, and lobbies for progressive legislation around sexual abuse, domestic violence and affirmative action, especially in helping eliminate procedures that undermine rights of the victims.

Creaw is famous for the "Rape Red Spot" campaign used to identify dangerous community zones that have been the sites of multiple assaults and raising awareness about these areas through billboards and mainstream media.

She is the force behind the controversial "Beware of Human Dogs" billboards.

In partnership with groups from UK, South Africa, Uganda and Tanzania, Creaw is working towards the abolishment or regulation of the practice of bride price. Recent surveys have linked human rights violations to bride price.

Asunta Wagura

Kenya Network of Women with Aids (Kenwa)

Asunta Wagura has been working on ensuring that people living with HIV and Aids are treated well and have dignified lives.

Her recent work has concentrated in the slum areas, where her organisation has been facilitating care for women and their children, as well as giving them economic empowerment.

"We want the women to be able to make decisions on their lives and those of their children. We are giving power back to them," says Asunta.

Asunta Wagura Kenya Network of Women with Aids (Kenwa)

Some of the projects are in Maili Saba, where women have been learning tailoring and embroidery. In Kiandutu, where they vend water, and in Nyeri, where a group of 40 women is now exporting craft.

Kenwa has also been linking individuals with microfinance institutions.

"We have seen women’s power and strength through their selflessness and commitment."

Kenwa aims to empower women to challenge the stigma and isolation they are subjected to, to advocate for their rights and those of their children, to support one another psychologically and materially, to share experiences and encourage one another and to develop coping strategies.

It now provides life-supporting services to 6,951 people by providing hot meals daily to orphans and bedridden people, infant formula to prevent Aids transmission to newborns from their mothers, medical services for people with Aids, antiretroviral (ARV) therapy as well as individual and group therapy for people affected by Aids.

Last year, Kenwa supported two per cent of Kenyans on ARV therapy.

Vanessa Hynes

Wife to Canadian High Commissioner

She is a woman with a passion for mentoring women and young girls and improving the welfare of women. Out of her own initiative, she has been organising an intergeneration gap forum on International Women’s Day, where young girls can meet older women achievers to share and in turn get to be mentored.

Vanessa Hynes Wife to Canadian High Commissioner

"International Women’s Day should not be about a group of empowered women talking to other empowered women, patting each other on the back. Our focus has been making an impact on the next generation, inspiring girls, giving them hope that they can achieve."

The initiative brings various successful women who talk about how they got where they are and the problems they face in their every day life. The girls also get to talk to the mentors on a theme and they later form groups and write and present a paper on a topic.

"From the programme, the girls have gained inspiration and the knowledge that yes they can. We are getting the message to the girls that women share responsibility and they should share in the rewards and opportunities. Women do so much in this country. They should have half the rewards. They should be the CEOs because they have earned it."

For the last 12 years, Canada has been supporting various gender equality programmes in the country.

Hynes has also been working on various other programmes and projects, like funding women in IDP camps, start a sewing group by giving them seed money, supporting Hands of Love — a project in Kibera that runs a nursery school for orphaned children, a computer school and sewing school, and supporting the Sisters of Charity Children’s Home in Huruma. She loves quilting and she is able to sell the quilts and use the money for charity.

On March 14, Hynes is heading for Shanzu on a groundbreaking ceremony for a disabled women’s workshop. The workshop has been bringing in disabled girls and young women from the villages and teaching them traditional skills that will encourage them to be independent.

The Canadian High Commission in turn has been helping in the marketing of the women’s products. With the help of others like Honorine Kiplagat, they have been able to raise a million shillings for the workshop so far.

"Many of these women had been sidelined and marginalised but they are now sending money back home."

To the young women she says: "It is important that you get an education, marry when you want and have babies when the time is right. Have your independence and follow the path you choose for yourself."