1 Issue Number 16 • April 2011 Issue Number 16 • April 2011

In a state of stagnation Wrangles have derailed the constitution implementation process …By Musa Radoli

ix months after the new Constitution was promulgated, very little headway has been achieved in the implementation process as bitter political wrangles take centreS stage threatening to torpedo the process. Civil Society Organisations have expressed concerns that very few legislations needed have been crafted yet they are critical to ensure the speedy and smooth implementation of the new Constitution. Of specific concern are the bitter wrangles in which the two principal political parties — Party of the National Unity (PNU) and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) — have publicly engaged on critical matters concerning the con- stitution implementation processes. The Civil Society Organisations are con- cerned six months down the road of the consti- tutional implementation process, the political divide of the grand coalition government are still deliberately engaged in bitter acrimonious and highly personalised engagements that smack of deliberate schemes to torpedo the process. During a recent joint civil society forum in Nairobi, it emerged that out of nearly 700 leg- islations that are supposed to be crafted by the Attorney General’s office and tabled before Par- liament to be enacted, less than five pieces have been crafted and passed. Political wrangles The Commission for the Implementation of Kenyans celebrating promulgation of the new constitution. According to chairman of the the new Constitution (CIC) says that the pace at Constitution Implementation Commission, Mr Charles Nyachae (inset), political differences have which the process was being taken was slow due “We are determined to been an impediment to the process. Picture: Kenyan Woman Correspondent. to the political wrangles that have taken centre make a total departure from stage with the country’s legislators both in and commissions of any kind on the determination of the CIC commissioners to monitoring the implementation of katiba (the outside Parliament. ensure that the implementation process of the constitution). The CIC chairman, Mr Charles Nyachae any national issue to engage Constitution was not manipulated or compro- The objective of the initiative is to undertake says: “Despite the sluggish pace at which the new all stakeholders at all levels mised by any of the warring parties as it would a six-month audit of the progress in meeting constitutional implementation process has taken jeopardise national interests. the demands of the Constitution implementa- since its promulgation on August 27, 2010, we at throughout the process — tion schedule, identifying new progress markers the CIC are determined to ensure that the whole but above all ensure that Implementation and examining alternative mechanisms to foster process will be carried out to the letter within its pace and commitment to the implementation stipulated five year transitional phase.” Kenyans enjoy a free , fair, The concerns over the sluggish speed at which process. He added: “We are also determined to make highly transparent and the implementation of the new Constitution was In February 2011, Kenya marked exactly six a total departure from commissions of any kind taking place were expressed by stakeholders dur- months of the new Katiba. The realisation of the on any national issue to engage all stakeholders accountable process ever ing a conference deliberately convened to take new constitutional order heralded for the na- at all levels throughout the process — but above witnessed in the history of stock of the progress made since promulgation tion a rebirth and a new beginning. The new all ensure that Kenyans enjoy a free, fair, highly of the new Constitution. Constitution sufficiently provides the important transparent and accountable process ever wit- this country.” The conference held under the theme “Tak- foundation upon which the country can make nessed in the history of this country.” — Mr Charles Nyachae, ing Stock: Six Months of Katiba” was an initia- significant strides in the pursuit and promotion Nyachae says despite the political wrangles tive of Bridge Africa, Medeva Africa and Oxfam of human rights, gender equity and democracy; and acrimonious engagements among the po- The CIC chairman among other civil society organisations that aim citizen empowerment and devolution of re- litical divide of the coalition government, it was at building onto the efforts of non state actors in Continued on page 4 EDITORIAL Women must not shy away from plum jobs n January, women’s organisa- and Deputy. the public service, which means that The time for women with politi- year’s time for men and women with tions took the President to task It is indeed worrying that wom- recruitment of staff from the lowest to cal ambitions to step forward and be political ambitions to fight for. over judicial nominations of en did not apply for this position of the top cadres will not only be com- counted like former Justice Minister Time for shying away from taking key appointments. In the case public prosecutions. Hopefully there petitive, but a third of the posts must Martha Karua is now. They must not leadership positions is over, the time Ithat was taken to the High Court, the must be women among those seeking be reserved for the other gender. sit back waiting until the last minute now is for women who have been women argued that the President had to replace the immediate former chief However, for the plum civil ser- and blame men for frustrating their blaming men for their poor represen- been gender insensitive in picking justice Evan Gicheru and the newly vice jobs, women must be armed efforts to represent their people. tation in the legislature and in Gov- the Chief Justice, Attorney General, created position of deputy chief jus- with their credentials, in order to be It is disheartening that so far, very ernment to emulate their sisters in Director of Public Prosecutions and tice. appointed on merit. Further women few women have come out in public to Rwanda, who have the highest num- comptroller of Budget. In the new constitutional dispen- should improve their ability to net- express interest in any of the 47 Gov- ber of women MPs in the world. However, two months later, and sation, very many jobs will be created work within proffessional circles. ernors’ posts that will be up for grabs Kenya women must borrow a leaf after the President advertised the top in the current Constitutional dispen- So far, the principles of affirmative come the next General Elections. from the United States President, Ba- judicial jobs, there is a big yawning sation. Women must be pro-active not action and meritocracy has been ap- The same also applies to the over rack Obama’s clarion call and soldier gap. Twenty four candidates have ap- be left out. The new Constitution has plied openly and fairly in the recruit- 300 Parliamentary seats that are ex- on saying: “Yes we can, and yes we plied for the positions of Chief Justice also embraced affirmative action in ment and hiring of commissioners. pected to be declared vacant in a must!” 2 Issue Number 16 • April 2011 Women urged to take up leadership positions …By Karani Kelvin During the International Wom- Constitution is not enough. en’s Day celebrations held in Eldoret, “The Constitution must be omen must ensure the women also reiterated the call for implemented to safeguard our implementation of the children to have education. They said rights,” she said. constitution works to education is the best inheritance to However Kiptui warned safeguard their rights. both male and female children. against the over insistence on WSpeaking Dr Lucy Kiyapi, who This was the message coming out the girl child and her rights and was the chief guest at the function, among 300 men and women gathered said that it would be a matter of said that women need to be aware of at the Teachers Advisory Centre in time before people started crying their rights as enshrined in the new Eldoret to observe the International about the boy child. Constitution. Women’s Day. “We must ensure that equal Kiyapi who is a lecturer in the Kiyapi reiterated the theme of day rights are accorded to every child Dr Lucy Kiyapi shows Prof Margaret Kamar’s recognition shield to a group School of Public Health, Department which was “Equal Access to Educa- irrespective of their sex,” she said. of women from the Rural Women Peace Link who are holding certificates of Health Management, Moi Uni- tion, Training, Science and Technol- The Deputy Director of the versity, urged women to also take up ogy: Pathway to Decent Work for Alliance Francaise, Ms Solenne they have been awarded for their efforts. Picture: Karani Kelvin leadership positions which is given Women.” Huteau, said that they had part- within the new Constitution. On gen- She particularly encouraged the nered with Rural Women Peace Link der assembly balance and diversity, people present to take girl-child edu- (RWPL) to host the function because women since they contribute a lot to Article 197 (1) says: “Not more than cation seriously because it will benefit they believed it is an important one. society. one thirds of members of any county the society in the long run. “When The Rural Women Peace Link “Women are the pillars of all soci- Inmates lament assembly or county executive com- you educate a woman, you educate team leader, Mrs Celine Korir, said eties,” said Korir. the whole community,” said she. mittee shall be of the same gender.” that the organisation which was The function culminated in the Speaking during the same event, holding of The same point is reiterated on started in the early 1990s was formed awarding of certificates of recogni- the chapter on representation of the Mrs Grace Kiptui, a lawyer and host to fight for the rights of women and tion to women leaders. The Eldoret people and electoral systems. It says of a legal awareness programme at children. children in prison on Article 81 (b): “... Not more than KASS FM, reminded women that She said there was need to con- East Member of Parliament Prof two thirds of members of elective having their rights enshrined in the tinue recognizing the strength of Margaret Kamar was recognised in …By Frank Ouma public bodies shall be of the same absentia for her efforts in the fight- ing for women’s rights. gender.” omen who are bringing Not more than one thirds of members of any Earlier, the women marched The Constitution therefore gives up children within prison women space within the law to take up county assembly or county executive committee through Eldoret Town before going facilities have complained leadership positions where they can go shall be of the same gender to the Teachers Advisory Centre for of the challenges they are for at least one third of all roles. the ceremony. facing.W Speaking during celebrations to mark the International Women’s Day, the women acknowledged that it was a chal- lenge bringing up their children while Gender discrimination “Jambo ninalo waeleza wazee ni parents and the little sister fail to serving their sentences. In a poem ‘ser- kwamba waache kunyanyasa akina recognize her. She has plans to get ikali imuone mama huruma’, the inmates asked the Government to give women mama kwani bila hao hatuwezi kue- into politics and is keen to run as the leaner sentences. comes to the fore in nda mbele, (I am asking men to stop senator of their area. The Sabaot Traditional Danc- One of the inmates, Ms Mary Ongu- exploiting women because without ku says she was forced to leave her chil- ers from Mt Elgon sang in praise of women’s day celebrations them we cannot progress),” were the dren with her elderly mother after she lyrics of the song. the Rural Women Peace Link which they said had helped them a lot and was sentenced to serve a one and a half …By Karani Kelvin also performed. A play by the North Rift Cultural year sentence. The mother of six whose The Loripili Lomunyak Dancers Young Talents also went down well even rescued some youths who had joined militias. husband died a few years ago is in jail for ong, dance and theatre were from Baringo opened the stage with with the crowd. They play explored There were also performances trying to stop her in laws from evicting used to illustrate the tribula- songs of peace. It was, however, the issues of gender based violence, by the Nandi Women Dancers her from her husband’s land. In trying to tions women go through as early marriages, girl child education song “Beatrice” that captured the and the Cheptumut Dancers from save it, she ended up fighting and land- over 300 men and women and women empowerment. audience who demanded that it be Pokot. ing in jail. gathered at the Teachers Advisory S performed a second time. The afternoon was marked by “I do not know where I will move to Centre in Eldoret to mark the Inter- Empowerment “Beatrice” is a song about a watching of two documentaries after serving my jail term. My land has national Women’s Day. family that has marital problems. In the play, there is a family with which were The Woman Question already been sold by my brothers-in-law,” Messages poured through the Instead of the man beating the wife two daughters. The eldest daughter and The Burden of Truth. she said. entertainment provided by various for being “wrong”, he sends her who was to be forced into marriage The first documentary explores Mr Alfred Musila, the officer in groups of dancers. Out of the six back to her family. The song asks is lucky and escapes but her sister is the challenges facing the African charge of Kapsabet GK Prison said some groups that performed, there were men to stop being violent towards not so lucky as she is forcefully mar- woman as a result of retrogressive inmates have to serve their sentences four traditional women dancers women and find other ways of solv- ried off to an old man. cultural practices while the second with children as some are young and from several counties. The Eldoret ing problems that they face. It also The eldest daughter comes back recounts of the horrific experienc- cannot be left in the care of relatives. Muslim Women Dancers and the points out that women are very im- home after several years. She is es of women during the infamous “We are taking care of five children North Rift Cultural Young Talents portant in society. educated and rich and at first, the post-election violence. below the age of four but the number in- creases with time,” explained Musila. He appealed to the extended family and society at large to help in bringing up the inmates’ children and not leave them within the correctional centres. Employers ask to embrace affirmative action He made the remarks when he joined the inmates in marking the centenary …By Odhiambo Odhiambo Secondary School, Macalder, Nyat- She noted that several commis- discard outdated cultural practices celebrations of International Women’s ike District during the International sions had been formed in the country such as early marriages and Female Day. Dance and songs rent the air at the Women’s Day celebrations. to strengthen the promotion of gender Genital Mutilation (FGM) which facility with messages urging the Gov- mployers in the public sec- ernment to put in place mechanism that tor have been told to respect Keya was accompanied by the equity and women’s empowerment. retarded the education of the girl- Nyatike MP Edick Anyanga and Sec- The minister mentioned new land child. will ensure that the rights of women are affirmative action of making protected. women to take up 30 per retary for Gender and Social Devel- policies and dual citizenship as areas Shabaan said the Government opment Prof Collette Suda among where women’s interests have been was in the process of launching the The inmates were given free medical centE of employment positions. treatment courtesy of Baraton University Gender and Social development other senior Government officials. addressed. Africa Women Decade Secretariat Shabaan said the Government and “In an endeavour to reduce in- that would be hosted in Kenya for the and that also benefited male inmates. Minister, Ms Naomi Shabaan noted Ms Regina Odhiambo said marking that most employers did not respect development partners had developed cidences of gender based violence, next ten years. policies and programmes that sought to the Government is in the process of “The secretariat has ten thematic the International Women Day in prison the constitutional provision that re- clearly showed that the Government rec- quired women to form a crucial seg- economically empower women by ad- enacting Family Protection Bill that areas to be addressed by the member dressing gender inequality and impedi- seeks to deal with domestic violence ognises importance of women in society. ment of the workforce. states under the African Union um- ments on education for the girl-child. and its adverse effects in the fam- brella,” she said. “We are worried that some of the She said that Kenyan women “had “We have established Women En- ily units, and particularly the victims These include fighting poverty inmates’ children have had to move to woken up, determined never to turn terprise Fund to facilitate women’s ac- who are mainly women and children,” and promoting economic empow- streets,” Odhiambo said. back, forge ahead and occupy their space cess to credit and empower them eco- said Shabaan. She added: “I urge MPs erment of women and entrepre- “The outside society should care for in the national development arena”. nomically beside the social protection to pass the Bill when it comes to the neurship, agriculture and food the children left by women prisoners so Shabaan said this in a speech read fund which seeks to support vulner- floor of the House in an effort to pro- security beside health, maternal that they do not idle in streets,” she add- on her behalf by her assistant minis- able and poor women,” explained tect our women.” mortality and HIV and Aids among ed. ter Manyala Keya at St Gema Girls’ Shabaan. The Minister asked Kenyans to others. The inmates had the opportunity of interacting with their family members. 3 Issue Number 16 • April 2011 Linah Jebii Kilimo A fighter who wears the FGM eradication belt …By Evelyne Ogutu with him but this time she was allowed to rejoin school. In 1977, she joined Madaraka Primary he has seen it all; the good, the bad and School and went straight to Standard Six. the ugly. From abject poverty, male chau- “I never studied Standard Five but still vinism, destructive cultural practices to when I sat for my Certificate of Primary Educa- dirty politics. tion (CPE), the following year, I passed with 31 SAll these, however, have not deterred her points out of 36,” she says. from achieving her childhood dream, to become She then proceeded to State House Girls’ famous and successful. High School. She would walk daily from school Growing up in Kokwo Miso, Kartur Village to Madaraka where she lived with her brother. in Marakwet East District was both a burden Jebii used to save the KSh2 that her brother and a curse for a girl child. Her day would start gave her daily for transport. After saving KSh15, at 6am with fetching salt for the animals in the she bought a packet of sweets which she would Kerio Valley escarpment, a five kilometre up the sell to her colleagues during break time. hill journey. Even as she was enjoying her secondary The daily sweat, on an empty stomach with schooling, a cloud of fear hung over her head. the danger coming across wildlife did not de- Her parents had threatened to circumcise her ter Linah Jebii Kilimo from ascending to top once she was through with her O level. She kept political seat in a male dominated community. thinking of devising a plan to escape from the Besides the tough chores that Jebii and her age knife. mates faced, she was also at a risk of being mar- ried off at the innocent age of nine. Turning point “In my culture, girls are circumcised as early After, she completed her O level she joined as nine years. This is followed with a forced mar- Moi Forces Academy where she sat for her A- riage where the young men will elope with the levels in 1982. This formed a turning point in girl. I did not want to go through this burden. I her life. would cry a lot whenever I thought of what was “After I completed my O level, I had to run in store for me,” she says. away from home. I went to live with some mis- For close to ten years, she was on the run. sionaries in Mombasa. For close to a month, my Running away from the monster called Female family did not know where I was. They came to Genital Mutilation (FGM) which was a manda- know of my whereabouts at a relative’s wedding tory practice for any Marakwet girl during her at which I served as a maid,” recalls Jebii. time. But one day, a male teacher who had just It was at this wedding in August 1982, where joined their school gave Jebii the nudge that she Jebii reconciled with her parents. It was an emo- had been missing all her life. tional and very significant moment especially in “My desire to be an achiever coincidentally her relationship with her father who passed on started when I was nine years and was ready to one month after their reunion. be circumcised. All this started with one inspi- She completed her education and was em- rational talk from my former teacher, Ex Senior ployed by Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) as a Chief Johnstone Labore, when I was in Standard clerk. Jebii worked at the bank from 1985 to 1997 Four,” she recalls. when she resigned to vie for the East Marakwet “Labore had been posted to our school and parliamentary seat on a Social Democratic Party he held a one hour talk with pupils from my (SDP) ticket. She lost. class and urged girls to shun FGM so that they She recalls how her opponents rode on the can drive big cars like the Luo ladies who were fact that she uncircumcised to influence the Jebii Kilimo, Marakwet MP is also the current chairperson of the Kenya Women not circumcised and were very educated,” recall community not to vote for her. They described Parliamentarian Association. Picture: Kenyan Woman Correspondent Jebii, who is now an Assistant Minister for Co- her as a dirty, uncircumcised child who cannot operatives and Marketing. rule the people of Marakwet. “It was like a tag on my face”, she recalls. woman’s belt between the Pokot and Marak- As per now, I am proud to state that I am the In retrospect wets, I wanted to bring these two communities only KENDA MP in parliament,” she says. Looking back 37 years later, the 46 year old Serving the people together and in 2002 my dream was realised. I Jebii, who is married to Mr Philemon Kili- mother of five — three girls and two boys — says During the 1997 General Elections, Jebii got won the election on a Narc ticket,” she recalls. mo, an Engineer with the Ministry of Roads. were it not for the teacher who challenged her only six votes but this did not dampen her spirits Besides, World Vision which supported all She reiterates: “Women need to fight for young mind, she would have been circumcised of representing the people of Marakwet. her FGM programmes which she initiated in the their share of voice and should not allow men to and married off at age nine. Her escape from the For the five years that she was out in the “po- constituency, she also received a lot of support pull them down.” knife came with a heavy price. She had to sacri- litical cold” with no formal job, she volunteered from Education Centre for Women and Devel- fice her communal pride and risk being branded for the World Vision, and acted as a translator opment (ECWD), which gave her a lot of mate- Representation an outcast by her father. in all their meetings. She also sold maize and rial for her campaign against the painful FGM Currently she also serves as the Chairper- “I was to be circumcised in December 1975. sardines (Omena) in Nairobi and Kitale to make practice. son of Kenya Women Parliamentary Associa- Every preparation had been done and I was part ends meet. However, this battle is far from over. In 2007, tion (KEWOPA) which brings together all the of the team lining up for the circumciser’s knife. “I was so broke that when I was vying in 2002, she had to face her male opponents who believed women parliamentarians. However, I cried so uncontrollably that the my political mentors, Tabitha Seii and Zipporah she was not qualified to be the area MP owing to She has used the Association in funding women elders said I should not undergo the cut Kittony would fuel my campaign cars. They also her being an uncircumcised woman. projects in the constituencies that are represent- since my crying signified a bad omen.” gave me a lot of moral support,” she says. “Most parties would shy off from nominat- ed by women. An evil cloud hangs over the rites of passage “The people of Marakwet were dying and I ing me to vie on their ticket and I went with The Association that meets often has also ceremony where a candidate cries. The Marak- could not just sit and watch. I sought refuge in KENDA Party which was not well known. There been at the forefront in mobilising MPs to sup- wet culture considers such tears and cries as an my Bible and asked God to give me a chance to was an ODM wave which was sweeping across port women related bills. One of the bills that ominous sign and warning that all would not go change the situation. I wanted to be the (leketio) Rift Valley but my people did not disappoint me. Jebii is happy will soon be brought to Parliament well. is the Prohibition of FGM Bill. “My community believes one will die if she This Bill if passed into law will make FGM cries before she faces the knife and so I miracu- “The people of Marakwet were dying and I could not just sit a criminal Act. She argues that the Children’s lously escaped the rite,” she explains. and watch. I sought refuge in my Bible and asked God to give Act is not powerful enough to fight the culture However, her tribulations were not to end which is still deeply rooted various cultures. there. In 1976, instead of proceeding to Stan- me a chance to change the situation. I wanted to be the (leketio) During the Commission on the Status of dard Five like her other classmates, she was women in New York late February, Jebii pre- forced to go look after her niece: “I had to drop woman’s belt between the Pokot and Marakwets, I wanted to sented a paper on harmful cultural practices like out of school for a whole year and baby sit my FGM that impede girls’ completion of educa- niece. My eldest brother who was a nurse in bring these two communities together and in 2002 my dream was tion. Kakamega had just gotten a baby and I was sent However, as Kenya walks into the devolved to stay with them and take care of the baby,” she realised. I won the election on a Narc ticket.” system of government, Jebii is holding all her says. plans close to her chest. Will she be the gover- After missing school for a whole year, her — Jebii Kilimo, Marakwet MP nor, senator, MP or women’s representative? brother was transferred to Nairobi. She moved Only time will tell as she is not speaking yet. 4 Issue Number 16 • April 2011

Women advised not to Law realisation from page 1 sources among other benefits. “If we are seeing such bitter and acri- compromise on Constitution monious difficulties as exemplified by the public and behaviour of the legislators on …By Musa Radoli critical matters concerning the Constitu- tional implementation process at the initial enyan women must be at the stages, what can we expect of them in the forefront in fighting for the total long run?” posed Mr Jason Oyugi, Director unconditional implementation policy and programmes at Bridge Africa. of the new Constitution or Oyugi said controversy over unconsti- theK process could be easily hijacked and tutional presidential nominations were a compromised by a few political elites. clear indication that something was terrible The women have been asked not to sit amiss. back or relax but continue in the spirit that He argued that the situation was wors- saw them oppose the controversial nomina- ened by the fact that some of the offices tions by President Mwai Kibaki of constitu- have to date not been filled by new occu- tional offices of the Attorney General, Chief pants appointed in strict accordance with Justice, Director of Public Prosecutions and stipulations of the new Constitution which that of the Controller of Budget. is the supreme law of the land. Before the President eventually bowed “People must be held accountable for down to immense pressure from the Kenyan their actions or omissions irrespective of women, widespread national and interna- their positions in society,” observed Oyugi. tional quarters, a women’s coalition had al- The worst area to be affected under ready filed a case in the High Court to chal- such state of affairs is the country’s gender lenge the appointments. equality and the disadvantaged peoples of Kenya equations because the country’s po- Gender forum litical elites are hoarding the space and con- Speaking at the Gender Forum, former centrating on a lot of irrelevancies instead Nominated Member of Parliament, Ms Jo- of critical national issues that need to be sephine Sinyo, who is Senior Counsel and given priority under the new constitutional Chair of United Disabled People of Kenya dispensation. Women remain the biggest (UPDK) said: “We have come a long way to losers in this state considering that the new get to where we are today but the real battle law brought them a number of gains. has just begun for the women and the disad- Participants insisted that Kenyans in vantaged groups of this beloved country of collaboration with the civil society organi- ours. The real challenges are still ahead and sations among other stakeholders must we must brace ourselves and be ready to fight take centre stage in the implementation against them for our rights, hope and prom- processes of the new Constitution since ise that the new Constitution has brought us politicians will only manipulate and com- and the entire nation.” Women receive copies of the new constitution at a public rally. Women are being encouraged to promise the process to suit their interests at Sinyo, who was the chief guest at the fo- ensure that they are part of the process in ascertaining the implementation of the constitution. the expense of the nation. rum, said the highly gender insensitive man- Picture: Kenyan Woman Correspondent. Professionals in collaboration with civil ner in which the controversial presidential nomi- society stakeholders are better placed to nations were conducted is a clear manifestation of ensure that the process is transparent, free the mischief that the political elites were up to. toward realising the gains for gender and the mar- and fair with those involved being account- “Kenyan women must be constantly vigilant, ginalised. able for their actions. It is only this that will alert and conscious. They must critically monitor The Forum supported by Heinrich Böll Founda- see the development of a new nation that and evaluate each and every step of the constitutional tion is a continuous process that seeks to collect and Kenyans have been struggling to get for de- implementation process right from now all the way transfer sharing of knowledge as well as expertise and cades. through the five year transitional implementation advocacy in the area of gender to influence changes. The Association of Professional Societ- lifespan it has to go through,” reiterated Sinyo. According to the Gender Programme Coordina- ies of East Africa (APSEA) governance con- She declared: “Unless we stand up and ensure that tor at Heinrich Böll, Ms Wanjiku Wakogi, the Gender sultant, Mr Gideon Ochanda said that the each and every step of the implementation process is Forum will continue to facilitate discussion around new Constitution has a transitional period conducted transparently and accountably in collabo- ‘Kenya’s rebirth’ and new constitutional dispensation of five years during which a lot of legisla- ration with all the stakeholders involved at each and with the discourse focusing on laying good founda- tion and policy changes have to be worked every step of the process, we risk going back to the tions and institutions for ethics, justice, governance, upon by some organs of the old Constitu- dark ages that our beloved nation has gone through.” democracy and human security. tion that may sabotage the process. Women were asked to take the lead in champion- The other critical areas targeted include consti- It is paramount that the country’s pro- ing the implementation process because the Consti- tutionalising attitudes, practices and deeds in the fessionals and civil society stakeholders tution provides them with enormous gains. Kenyans’ day-to-day engagements with each other, from a wide range of disciplines be actively Speaking at the same Forum, Chairman of the especially women whose numbers and influence in engaged in the implementing institutions Constitution Implementation Commission (CIC), society can revolutionise the changes the country and organs. They should not only contrib- Mr Charles Nyachae said that under the new consti- needs. ute their professionalism but also to moni- tutional order, the lives of Kenyan women from the tor and evaluate the entire process to pro- grassroots to the national level will be completely Electoral process tect the interests of millions of Kenyans and transformed. the nation as a whole. “This year also marks the run-up to the first gen- “The Constitution provides for and protects Said Ochanda: “The legislative and pol- eral elections under the new Constitution slated for women’s rights right from the homes where they live icy baskets, whether private or public, are “Kenyan women must be the second half of 2012. The current political climate through to the offices where they work, every day en- first and foremost technical and in many counters, county offices to the national offices where- constantly vigilant, alert and is an attestation to the fact that the clamour for posi- aspects guided by professionals.” as the old Constitution denied them these rights,” he tions of leadership is in high gear with preparations He argued that different APSEA mem- said. conscious. They must critically and campaigns for electoral positions evident in pub- bership organisations have in one way or lic conversation,” said Wakogi. another been operating under or with some Some of the critical areas that govern Kenyan monitor and evaluate each and women’s rights under the new constitutional dispen- She added: “The Kenyan woman must not be left form of legislation or policy and they have sation are the rights to inherit property and land. The every step of the constitutional out in these critical processes that are part of trans- both positive and negative experiences that old Constitution denied women an opportunity to forming into a new Constitution.” have taught them valuable lessons. inherit family land and property forcing many to go implementation process right Speakers reiterated the fact that the political class Ochanda said there are at least 700 ex- to court to seek redress. But even then, majority were is still determined to manipulate the new Constitu- isting legislations and more than 60 new denied their rightful share. from now all the way through tion to suit their interests. They urged Kenyans to ones that must be looked at afresh to accord challenge them directly even if it means fighting it them constitutional harmony Fair representation the five year transitional out through legal channels. He observed that professionals in the Participants at the Forum expressed concerns that implementation process will have multiple The other critical areas are fair representation implementation lifespan it has roles that may cover areas such as critical in elective and public offices. The new Constitution there were still many personalities and institutions en- gaged in impunity and corruption. This is the group membership appraisal of the current legis- makes provisions for direct elective positions specifi- to go through.” lations and policies against the provisions cally reserved for women and other disadvantaged that is resistant to reforms and constitutional changes. They were either directly or indirectly involved with of the new Constitution. members of the society. — Ms Josephine Sinyo, former Nominated “The professionals should also look at This was the inaugural Gender Forum 2011 the constitutional implementation process. MP These personalities and institutions should be ex- the roles allocated to interlocutory insti- dubbed Realising the gains for gender and the mar- tutions, search for membership inclusion, pected to be constant barriers and threats to the con- ginalized under the Kenyan Constitution: A six month action and mandates in the constitution, stitutional implementation processes. “They must be reflection of implementation of the Constitution. membership and public education, advo- identified, isolated and fought at all times and levels,” It was held to reflect on six months progress on cacy, lobbying and process influencing,” the implementation process and discuss the journey the women were advised. reiterated Ochanda. 5 Issue Number 16 • April 2011 Illiteracy a stumbling block to land rights

…By Duncan Mboyah part of Kenya. In addition, Article 60(1) makes and is a critical economic elimination of gender discrimina- and social resource. It is both tion and equitable access to land part a sign of wealth as well as a of the new principles of land policy. symbol of cultural belong- In 60 (10 (f0 it states: .... elimination ing.L In Kenya, issues regarding land of gender discrimination in law, cus- have therefore remained sensitive tom and practices related to land and and complex. Most communities and property in land.” individuals regard land as a basic fac- “Despite this constitutional mile- tor in the attainment of economic in- stones illiteracy amongst both men dependence and poverty reduction. and women, though not as high as Land is also a cultural tool which de- it once was, remains a challenge,” fines a people and identifies them in Mr. Peter Ocholla, the Programme the context of things. Manager at the Caucus for Women’s Property rights in Kenya, espe- Leadership. cially those related to land remain a sensitive topic to deal with given the Beneficiaries value to which people attach to land. He notes that women who are the Worst affected are women’s rights major beneficiaries of the new law to equal ownership of property where are unlikely to benefit much if the a number of obstacles, largely cus- Government and other organisations tomary prop up whenever it is men- including statutory bodies created by tioned. the Constitution do not step up civic Women have experienced prop- education. erty discrimination sanctioned by Ocholla observes that there exists laws and practices. The Government’s a profound ignorance similar to what Women working on a farm. Many women do not have access to land ownership yet land is also a cultural tool policy of tenure individualization and appeared during the referendum which defines a people and identifies them in the context of things.Picture: Kenyan Woman Correspondent. privatization in the early 1990s has campaigns about how constitutional resulted in weaker tenure security for rights on land can be upheld. women. “It is unfortunate that this state munal irrespective of all that the law management sustainably, equitably, levels so as to enable women and the of affairs may scuttle the understand- says,” observes Ocholla. efficiently and cost effectively across citizenry in general participate more Customary tenure ing of many women about how their He reiterates that politicians are the country. effectively in making decisions that Under customary tenure systems, rights are protected under the new causing unnecessary tension yet their have direct bearing on their lives and women were guaranteed a right of use Constitution,” he explains. focus is the 2012 General Elections, Women’s rights livelihoods. through their husbands after mar- This ignorance discourages many signs that they have little concern for The G10, a coalition of women’s The G-10 aims for an increased riage. The process of land registra- women, particularly in areas where the common people. civil organisations seeks to put into public support and acceptance of tion left women out of adjudication, illiteracy is high from taking a lead- According to the Constitution, perspective the issue of women and women’s land rights and adoption of conferring title to the male household ing role in buying, selling or leasing Article 40 and article 60 jointly create land. The G-10 is composed of Caucus land equality provisions in land poli- head. property. Often they rely on their hus- the pillar on which women’s rights to for Women’s Leadership, WiLDAF, cy and constitution. Land-use decisions are made by bands or other male relatives and are property are constitutionally upheld. FIDA-Kenya, CREAW and AWC Increased citizen engagement and thus rarely registered or recognised Around this pillar are other support- men to the extent that women’s food among other organisations. It is im- participation in ongoing reform pro- as owners (jointly or individually) of ing provisions. These include the crop products are marginalized and plementing a project on land reforms cesses at all levels and demand for their own property. requirement in Article 68 that Par- cultivated on poorer soils. Women’s and decentralization whose main ob- Agenda 4 reforms with special em- lack of tenure security is also an is- liament pass laws to recognise and jective is to create awareness around phasis on the National Land Policy sue because men continue to migrate Civic education protect matrimonial property, par- the National Land Policy as well as the among all Kenyans. to urban areas, leaving many women Ocholla calls on the Government ticularly the matrimonial home. constitutional provisions on land that It also looks to enhance effective to manage lands over which they have to ensure that civic education on land The National Accord and Rec- speak to issues around marginalised no rights. rights are stepped up. He says that at onciliation Act recognises land as groups such as women’s rights to in- participation of women and other However, it is hoped that this will the moment there is little civic edu- a source of conflict and calls on the heritance and ownership. marginalized communities in de- come to pass as the new law gets im- cation happening on the ground yet political class to make fundamental The G-10, therefore, seeks to em- manding land reform and decentrali- plemented since the Constitution has most people have not read the article changes in land ownership and tenure power the women on their rights on sation dealt with the property rights under on land and even the constitution in through constitutional reforms. land inheritance and ownership as The different partners have Article 40 (1) states: Subject to Article general. The National Land Policy is meant spelt out in the National Land Policy brought in a vast experience in im- 65, every person has the right, either “Statements coming from politi- to create various important bodies to and the new constitution. plementing gender and governance individually or in association with cians are still causing fear as most of deal with land, key among them, the It also seeks to advocate for decen- issues at the national level as well as others to acquire and own property the political class continue to inform National Land Commission which is tralization of decisions around land grassroots level and hence the com- (a) of any description or (b) in any their tribesmen that their land is com- to carry out land administration and matters to the district and grassroots petence in handling this project.

A call for the public to take lead on reform process

…By Joyce Chimbi from Kenyans. This translates into mentioning. Governance of the coun- The delegates included men, women, er motives or corrupt practices; participation of people on the exercise ties needs to translate into improved youth and the disabled who emphati- (c): Selfless service based on the ith implementation of of the powers of the State and in mak- service delivery, inclusivity, participa- cally stressed that any leadership po- public interest demonstrated by the new Constitution ing decisions affecting them. tion of people in policy and decision- sition at both national and at County i. honesty in the execution of pub- in top gear, the public The introduction of the devolved making as well as protection of hu- level should be in line with integrity. lic duties and has high expectations County Governments is crucial in man rights as contained in the Bill of According to the citizens, this will re- ii. the declaration of any personal onW how they want things to translate making sure those resources and ser- Rights. The Bill of Rights is an integral duce corruption and promote good interest that may conflict with public into better service delivery and qual- vices are accessible to the ordinary part of Kenya’s democratic state and leadership. duties; ity leadership at County levels. people. It will also address flawed de- is the framework for social, economic There is need, therefore, for the (d): Accountability to the public With the Government in the pro- velopment policies. and cultural policies. people of the County to be empow- on decisions and actions taken. cess of restructuring itself, the awaited The people who are part of a Coun- ered enough to choose the right lead- This is a significant step towards reforms can only make sense if the ty must be empowered to choose the Coalition ers to serve them. They will then play achieving constitutionalism and a ordinary person is able to translate right leaders and play a watchdog role In Article 19 92) it says: “The pur- a watchdog role to ensure good gover- sense of inclusivity and participation them in tangible terms, this includes to ensure good governance is adhered pose of recognising and protecting nance. Second, leaders holding public for all in nation building. This exer- transformative leadership. to. Leaders holding public offices human rights and fundamental free- offices must demonstrate a people- cise is significantly geared towards must demonstrate a people-centred doms is to preserve the dignity of in- centred approach to leadership and bringing marginalized groups such Reforms approach to leadership. dividuals and communities and [pro- make sure that they are aware of what as women, youth and the disabled Reforms are urgently needed to It is against this background that mote social justice and the realisation Chapter Six of the Constitution that within the community onto a plat- improve responsiveness, transpar- civil society organisations are engag- of the potential of all human beings.” deals with Leadership and Integrity. form where they too can influence ency, effectiveness as well as account- ing with the public to develop a lead- Article 10 (3) (a) says: “The rights Article 73 (2) of the new Constitution change can be very vital in promoting ability of governance institutions. ership model for good governance and fundamental freedoms in The Bill says: “the guiding principles of leader- good governance within the counties This will help address the needs of all especially for County governments of Rights (a) Belong to each individual ship and integrity include: in Kenya. Kenyans. which will be critical in the realisation and are not granted by the State.” (a): Selection on the basis of person- By ensuring that from the word This paradigm shift calls for pub- of the new laws. Generally, there should be an im- al integrity, competence and suitability, go, the public becomes part of the lic involvement in what experts call In this regard, the work of the proved quality of life for the ordinary or lection in free and fair elections: change towards the transformative citizenry driven reform process. A JADILI Partners, a coalition of civil person. This emerged clearly during (b): Objectivity and impartiality leadership can enhance more ac- good example is how the commit- society organisations working to- a dialogue session in Busia where in decision making and in ensuring countability, transparency and par- tee on devolved structures is going wards people-centred leadership and JADILI conducted a civic education that decisions are not influenced by ticipation in the County governance around the country collecting views good governance in counties is worth session on the new Constitution. nepotism, favouritism, other improp- structure. 6 Issue Number 16 • April 2011 Gender warriors Men fighting for women’s rights at a glance …By Mercy Mumo Evans Gachie: Coast ver heard of men who fight for Gachie started as a women’s rights, for their recogni- youth leader then subse- tion in politics? This is not a com- quently moved to advo- mon practice as most men have cating for women’s rights. beenE brought up under patriarchal rules He admits that culture that have seen only men in leadership po- promotes men’s leadership sitions. and tends to forget the Men have for the longest time reluc- women. tantly, partly or not at all been involved in At the Coast, Gachie the quest for women’s participation in gov- reveals that if a meeting ernance. Taking the back seat and giving is organised by an Islamic women roles that only pertain to the home group, women are not al- and expecting them to deliver within these lowed to participate or same walls has in a way contributed to the speak in comparison to slow growth of women in decision making civil society meetings. In- positions. teraction between men and women is also hindered when When a woman is confined to the they are put in one group. Both men and women end up home only, the burden she carries is heavy Evans Gachie (centre) together with other participants during a poverty eradication taking sides. enough to deter her from participating in Due to poverty, handouts from political leaders easily decision making that is equally crucial to walk at the Coast. Picture: Caucus sway women during rallies and campaigns. her survival. “Most times, it becomes hard to conduct strategy Culture has equally played a major role in Women’s Regional Assemblies’, keenness in der sensitive, a communicator, ability to ar- meetings because we do not have that money to give out belittling the woman and ensuring that her taking up men who are willing to champion ticulate gender issues and accountable to the but we are willing to help our sisters in advancing politi- responsibilities only rest within the home. If the rights of women involved in governance. community. cally,” says Gachie. she makes any attempt in seeking political and These are men between the age of 18 and 30 According to Mr Peter Ochola, a pro- His work as a warrior has had a positive impact on leadership representation, it is frowned upon years who work in popularising women’s par- gramme manager with Caucus for Women’s networking, training and in campaigning for young as- by society. ticipation in governance, understanding their Leadership, gender warriors have revolu- piring civic leaders. needs and articulating gender issues. The tionised governance programme work. “I can proudly say that I have managed to streamline Advocacy Caucus for Women’s Leadership chose young “Young men involved in this programme gender issues to 50-50 representation and mentoring Many women are, therefore, hesitant to men, as opposed to older men, as the former are coming out strongly as champions of gen- young men to become gender sensitive and champion for engage in political deliberations. They loathe are more open at working to advance the der equality and changing the society’s tra- their rights.” the saddle that comes with juggling family, women’s cause. The older men are bastions of ditional way of perceiving women,” explains work, education and culture with the leader- tradition and thus chances of making head- Ochola. He adds: “The men are able to iden- Steve Kanja: Thika ship responsibilities. The same society that way with the younger men in this advocacy tify women who are active, passionate and in- Kanja has not only been involved in campaigning for has purportedly given her the chance is the venture are higher. terested in leadership.” women’s rights at the grassroots level but also in monitor- same one that will ridicule and judge her. The warriors fit well in their role ofbe- “We work with women who are recogn- ing allocation and use of government funds such as Con- However, to beat this bias, women’s rights ing the advocacy tool in advancing women’s ised as figures of authority in areas of leader- stituency Development Funds (CDF) and Local Authori- advocates have changed course and are look- rights in as far as governance is concerned. ship and governance including those that are ties Trust Fund (LATF). ing at better ways in which they can raise the So far there are 28 gender warriors in Thika, committed and are interested in political rep- Although he has been able to achieve a third represen- number of their gender in leadership and de- Kwale, Karachuonyo, Homa Bay, Makueni, resentation,” reiterates Ochola. tation of women in employment opportunities, he admits cision making positions. Mombasa, Nakuru, Migori and Uasin Gishu. He reiterates: “We want to change the face the process has not been an easy. They are now incorporating men into their The warriors use their masculinity to push of the gender agenda in women’s participation He is grappling with the challenge of criticism from cause. One such agenda is the Gender War- for women’s rights in development, politics, and this is so far the best approach in warm- older men who wonder why he campaigns for women’s riors Programme being run by the Caucus governance, equity and equality. ing the political environment come 2012.” empowerment instead of his own. for Women’s Leadership. The warriors’ Pro- A gender warrior from the Coastal region, “I helped 400 female employees who were to be gramme was started in 2009 and incorporates Awareness Mr Evan Gachie says the gap between policy phased off during a strike in November last year at Del- men in the gender agenda under the gender Caucus acts as a facilitator in helping them and politics needs to be bridged. monte get back their jobs,” he says. and governance programme (GGP III). conduct awareness and reforms at the local “It is rather sad that women are still be- The idea of working with men was brought authority level. Before embarking on advo- ing swayed by small bribes that seem harmless Khamisi Mohammed: Likoni forth by the Women’s Regional Assembly by cacy work, the young men go through inten- at the beginning but end up being the begin- Khamisi has been a gender warrior for one year. He is the Caucus in targeting the community in sive training on gender analysis, lobbying and ning of their problems in the future,” explains involved in the sensitisation of gender issues on equality bringing change to the socio-economic devel- advocacy issues and anti-corruption. Gachie. and equity in line with the new Constitution. opment of women at the grassroots level. The They are determined to break away from It is much easier for a community to at- Unlike other areas, men in his region see him as their idea was to not only empower them economi- the patriarchal way of doing things where tend and participate in political meetings and lawyer and one advocating for their rights. cally but also politically, ensuring that they are men dominate social and political structures rallies than civil society strategy meetings. However he says that “Some of the women are still visible in their participation in decision mak- and women’s access to them is deterred by Women constitute the majority because of facing resistance from their spouses when it comes to at- ing processes. Currently, there are 29 Women’s certain factors key among them being culture. the notion and assurance of getting handouts tending the meetings and forums we organise on gover- Regional Assemblies spread across the eight The warriors are more inclined on becoming to take back home as compared to the latter n a n c e”. provinces of Kenya. advocates for gender sensitive governance. Continued on page 7 However, his wife supports him fully and has no prob- The gender warriors were born out of the To be a gender warrior, one must be gen- lem with him working with other women.

Women leaders more empathetic and flexible …By Mercy Mumo difference in the world.” gender inequalities. According to the report by A year-long study conducted in 2005 by two Usawa ni Haki, men could do more in the field ttitudes toward leadership are chang- organisations Caliper and Aurora in New Jersey including rallying other men to vote for women Factfile ing and what women offer is essential. and London respectively, revealed a number of candidates, challenge negative stereotypes in the The Caliper study findings are sum- A feminine way of leading includes characteristics that distinguish women leaders social sphere and lobby for greater equality at marised into four specific statements about helping the world to understand and from men in terms of qualities of leadership. policy level. women’s leadership qualities: be principled about values that really matter. The study identified women leaders “as more The report also notes that women leaders A 1. Women leaders are more persuasive According Dr Musimbi Kanyoro, Director assertive and persuasive, have a stronger need have in the past been subjected to challenges than their male counterparts. of the Population Program at the David and Lu- to get things done and are more willing to take such as physical harassment by opponents, ver- 2. When feeling the sting of rejection, cile Packard Foundation (Packard Foundation): risks than male leaders. Women leaders were bal abuse, slander, destruction of property, and women leaders learn from adversity and “Domination as a leadership style is becoming also found to be more empathetic and flexible, ridicule. These are some of the contributing fac- carry on with an “I’ll show you” attitude. less and less popular. There is a new growing ap- as well as stronger in interpersonal skills than tors that point the red light on poor representa- 3. Women leaders demonstrate an in- preciation of those traits that women use to keep their male counterparts, enabling them to read tion of women at all levels of governance. clusive, team-building leadership style of families together and to organize volunteers to situations accurately and take information in It, therefore, cannot be ignored that men are problem solving and decision making. unite and make change in the shared life of com- from all sides. These women leaders are able to key in the governance process more so in the vis- 4. Women leaders are more likely to ig- munities.” bring others around to their point of view...be- ibility of women in decision making positions. nore rules and take risks. Kanyoro joined the Packard Foundation cause they genuinely understand and care about The world cannot afford to overlook the fact from her post as General Secretary of the World where others are coming from...so that the peo- that getting the support women need from men YWCA, a global movement of 25 million wom- ple they are leading feel more understood, sup- should not include dictating on what should be Additional information ‘The qualities that en and girls in 122 countries. ported and valued.” done. This is a stereotypic way of viewing gender. distinguish women leaders,’ a Caliper report. She reiterates: “These newly admired leader- Women must do their part towards support- As more and more female candidates con- ship qualities of shared leadership, nurturance ing each other in order to advance themselves in tinue to express their interest in embracing and doing good for others are today not only all facets of life . posts and changing the face of leadership, the sought after but also indeed needed to make a Men’s engagement is essential in addressing big question still remains. 7 Issue Number 16 • April 2011 Civil society organisations plead to ICC over internally displaced women

…By Odhiambo Orlale tions have sworn to discharge their mandate and undertake a solemn duty to protect the s the debate over the fate of the Oca- rights of the public, to guarantee justice for mpo six rages on, the civil society all, victims and perpetrators and play a criti- and human rights organisations are cal role in ending impunity in Africa. demanding that the Government up- The 15 UN Security Council members Aholds the rights of the thousands of Internally are USA, France, Russia, China, United Displaced Persons (IDPs) languishing in camps Kingdom, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, in parts of Rift Valley Province. Gabon, Lebanon, Nigeria and Columbia, The organisations are concerned that the Germany, India, Portugal and South Africa. plight of the IDPs, especially the women and “We, the civil society/human rights or- children, has been ignored by the Government ganisations and the statutory national hu- as it focuses on defending the Ocampo Six. man rights institution in Kenya (the Kenya In a bold move, the organisations successful- National Commission on Human Rights) ly petitioned all the five members of the United representing the voice of the victims of the Nations Security Council, to reject a request by post-election violence and the of the people Kenyans protesting bid to have the post election the Kenyan Government to defer the cases filed of Kenya wish to make an urgent appeal seek- against the Ocampo Six at the International ing your support on the subject matter above. violence case at The Hague deferred. Civil society criminal Court, in The Hague. Our organisations are greatly disturbed by organisations successfully petitioned the United The six suspects named in connection with the recent calls for deferment of the cases Nations Security Council to reject the request by the the 2007-2008 post-election violence which left now before the International Criminal Court Kenyan Government. Picture: Kenyan Woman Correspondent. over 1,300 people killed, over 600,000 displaced (ICC),” the organisations said. and property worth billions of shillings de- stroyed and looted, are Deputy Prime Minister, Judicial mechanism Nations Security Council, in which Africa was Uhuru Kenyatta, Head of the Civil Service and They recalled that the cases before the fully represented. The others are Uganda and the Secretary to the Cabinet, Mr Francis Muthaura, ICC were as a result of the failure of Kenya Democratic Republic of Congo. former Cabinet ministers Mr William Ruto and to establish any credible and genuine national Njogu noted that although Kenya had en- Mr Henry Kosgei, former Police Commissioner, judicial mechanism to deal with the alleged acted a new Constitution which proposes the Mr Hussein Ali, and Kass FM radio presenter, perpetrators of the violence that occurred overhaul of the entire Criminal Justice System Mr Joshua arap Sang. between December 2007 and February 2008 in Kenya, it is not practical to imagine that these following Kenya’s disputed presidential elec- changes will be effected within a year as pro- Initial hearing tions. posed by the aforementioned segment of the Uhuru, Muthaura Ali have been scheduled This failure, the statement maintained, coalition government. These institutions need by the ICC pre-trial chamber to have their initial stems from a clear and manifest lack of po- to be established and tested to meet the require- hearing on April 8. Ruto, Kosgey and Sang will litical will to secure criminal accountability ments of credibility, competence, independence have their initial hearing on April 7. in accordance with the recommendations of and requisite public confidence. In a statement read by Ms Anne Njogu, the the Commission of Inquiry into the Post- Chairperson of the Centre for Rights Education Election Violence (CIPEV) which was estab- “Every accused person is Security council Awareness (CREAW), on behalf of the organi- lished vide the Kenya National Dialogue and sations, at a press conference attended by sev- Reconciliation (KNDR) processes. entitled to the fair process of However the UN Security Council in an in- eral envoys said: “We humbly request that you The statement read: “The People of Kenya formal meeting rejected Kenya’s bid to have the publicly denounce efforts by indicted suspects need your support and decisive action in en- law to determine his or her cases deferred. Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has been leading in carrying out a shuttle diplo- to evade justice including interference with wit- suring that those bearing the greatest respon- innocence or guilt. Similarly, nesses and the overall judicial process of the sibility for the grievous crimes committed macy cause to have the ICC cases deferred argu- ICC. against Kenyan citizens are held accountable every victim of Kenya’s post- ing that the trials at The Hague would threaten “Every accused person is entitled to the fair for their actions in order to help deter future the nation’s stability. However, an appeal to the process of law to determine his or her inno- criminal transgressions.” election violence deserves a UN Security Council was rejected. cence or guilt. Similarly, every victim of Kenya’s The civil society noted that the work of the The Security Council rejected the deferral post-election violence deserves a fair trial of the ICC was crucial to ending impunity and en- fair trial of the perpetrators bid saying Kenya made a mistake by going to perpetrators to achieve truth, justice and repara- suring that victims of the worst crimes obtain to achieve truth, justice and the UN instead of taking its plea directly to the tion.” justice. However, they lamented that some Ke- ICC. The statement was signed by officials rep- nyan politicians now claim that the ICC was reparation.” The Rome Statute, under which the ICC resenting Kenya National Commission on Hu- targeting Africa by only initiating trials on this was established allows a deferral only if a coun- man Rights; Centre for Multi-Party Democracy; continent. — Anne Njogu, chairperson Centre for try can show that ICC jurisdiction threatens International Centre for Policy and Conflict; The organisations also defended ICC say- Rights Education and Awareness international peace. Kenya failed to convince International Commission of Jurists (Kenya ing a review of the cases currently under the the council that such a threat exists. Chapter); Kenyans for Peace with Truth and Jus- jurisdiction of the ICC demonstrates that it Kenya can still ask the ICC itself to defer the tice; Centre for Rights Awareness and Education is not targeting Africa at all. Four of the five cases under terms of Article 19 of the Rome Stat- (Creaw) on behalf of G10 and National Conven- cases were referrals from the respective Afri- ute. The article says the court can set aside cases tion Executive Council and Change Associates. can States themselves, while only the situation if a country shows credibly that it can handle the The civil society and human rights organisa- in Darfur, Sudan was referred by the United cases itself. Kenyan men fighting for gender rights from page 6 where they feel not much commitment is required. petence and suitability, or election in free and fair elections”; They hope to consolidate the work they are doing in the dis- Such circumstances occur as a result of poverty at the house- And (d): “Accountability to the public for decisions and ac- tricts to the county level so as to address upcoming elections hold level. When a woman is hungry, the community and its in- tions”; in 2012. Mobilising support for women in 2012 is key in their habitants go hungry as well and eventually loyalty shifts. If previ- (e) “Discipline and commitment in service to the people.” agenda. They want to carry on their activism in gender to the ously the woman was actively participating in the activities of the The community at large is demanding for accountability and county governments where women’s visibility is crucial in politi- community, then she is likely to be swayed where she is able to transparency in governance issues. “The gender warriors have cal representation. see immediate solutions to her problems. come out strongly in being the perfect role models,” observes There is urgent need for sustained presence in the commu- The challenge Kenya is struggling with currently is having a Ochola. nity. The warriors exist for themselves so as to transform the breed of leaders with integrity. Leaders who can be trusted, held community to accept leadership from a level playing field. accountable and are selfless enough to fight for the people’s rights. Misconceptions What they are looking at is leadership that is by the people, This is also entrenched in the new Constitution. The whole of The warriors face the challenge of misconception over gender for the people and not coerced or bought. Leadership that the Chapter Six of the new law is dedicated to Leadership and Integ- equality that women want to take over men. “We are ridiculed for community can count on to represent them selflessly without any rity. being in the driver’s seat in championing for our sisters’ rights in hidden agenda. The fact that they are well versed with the under- Article 73 (2) (a): “The guiding principles of leadership and politics. The fact that we are not gunning for positions makes it lying issues of the areas they represent gives them more leverage integrity include selection on the basis of personal integrity, com- even worse,” says Ochola. in championing for women’s rights and leadership positions. 8 Issue Number 16 • April 2011 Has Lesotho bridged the gender gap? …By Karen Allen

esotho sits like pearl in a shell, surrounded by the land mass of South Africa. But this tiny kingdom of 1.8 million people boasts another jewel, which is perhaps astonish- ingL given its size. Lesotho is ranked eighth in the world by the World Economic Forum when it comes to bridg- ing the gap between the sexes. The reasons are cul- tural, political and economic, but one explanation keeps being repeated when you probe the gender issue, and it relates to Lesotho’s recent past. Historically, large numbers of men from Leso- tho crossed the border to work in South Africa’s mines, forcing women to step into their shoes and take up school places and jobs. Many of the men have now come back, having been retrenched from the mines, and they face a more female-fo- cused world. In politics, one in five government ministers in Lesotho is female. Dr Mphu Ramatlapeng, Le- sotho’s Minister for Health and Social Affairs, at- tributes this to the government’s pro-women poli- cies. But more than that, she emphasises Lesotho’s culture of learning. “The defining factor is education. I think a lot of women have realised early on that they have to educate their daughters,” she says. High literacy rates Primary education is free in Lesotho and lit- eracy rates among women exceed those of men — Women of Lesotho in a rural setting. The fact that majority of the men leave to work in the with 95 percent of women able to read and write, mines, many women have ended up taking positions of leadership. Picture: Internet compared with 83 percent of men. This is filtering into the job market — the chief of police is a wom- an, so too is the Speaker of Parliament and there were virtually redundant when it came to making are at least a dozen senior female judges presiding key decisions in the home. over the country’s courts. Women in rural areas used to have the same These women are the role models plucked legal rights as minors. from Lesotho’s elite, but unemployment stands at “Until the marriage act was passed, a woman 43 percent and, for more regular jobs, competition had the legal status of a minor,” explains Ahunna A growing remains fierce. Although 40,000 women make up Eziakonwa-Onochie, UN resident co-ordinator in most of the workforce in the energetic textile sec- Lesotho. That meant she could not sign contracts, tor situated in the industrial hub of the capital, could not inherit property and was, in effect, treat- gender gap in Maseru, many more risk being confined to the ed as a child. sidelines, as men who traditionally worked in the The rules may have changed, but 79-year-old mines across the border look for work. “The government encourages widow Teresia Joele says that she still needs a male doctors’ pay What also threatens to slide women back is patron. “You need a man to look after you here. the act of reproducing. Lesotho has experienced pro-women policies but more My husband died in 1962 and so I have relied on a soaring maternal mortality rate in the past five his brothers to look after my interests,” she says. than that it is Lesotho’s …By Roni Caryn Rabin years — a trend that the minister attributes in part HIV/AIDS to a rise in back-street abortions and complica- culture of learning. The tions in pregnancy. Like thousands of other women her age, Joele tarting salaries for women who With mountains often separating a woman defining factor is education. is part of an army of unsung heroes — the women become physicians are signifi- from medical care, Ramatlapeng’s mission is to who raise their grandchildren because their par- cantly lower than men’s, and the persuade more women to come to hospital for I think a lot of women ents have died of HIV/Aids. Some 23 percent of pay gap has grown over the past help throughout their pregnancy. Lesotho’s population is infected with the disease, decade,S a study reports. “They are prepared to visit to have their health have realised early on that and it threatens to erode the gains made in female The pay differential, which was 12.5 check ups,” she says. “It is just convincing them to they have to educate their education. percent in 1999, increased to nearly 17 deliver their babies in hospital that is harder.” “I cannot afford to send my granddaughter percent by 2008, according to the re- daughters.” Dironstso to school even though I know it is the port published in Health Affairs. Gender gap best thing I could give her,” says Joele. The growing gap could not be ex- Across the other side of town, Lash Mokhathi, — Dr Mphu Ramatlapeng, Lesotho’s At 13, the child does not qualify for free educa- plained by women’s preferences, the authors said. While women on average who coaches a women’s football team, smirks Minister for Health and Social Affairs tion and there are also books and school uniform when she hears that Lesotho is ranked first in Af- to pay for. do choose lower-paying specialties and rica for bridging the gender gap and eighth in the The statistics that put Lesotho at the top table shorter work weeks than men, those entire world. in the equality game may look impressive but they disparities were less pronounced in Like many here, she finds the figures hard to risk glossing over the challenges. There may be less 2008 than in 1999. Yet the pay differen- believe. “We need to boost women’s self-esteem,” of a gap in health, education and political partici- tial has widened. she says explaining that is what the football train- pation than in many other countries, and clearly “That was the part that surprised ing is all about. The football project, which works there is greater political will to recognise the im- and puzzled us,” said one author, An- with an HIV prevention scheme called Kick for portant role of women in society. thony T. Lo Sasso, a professor of health Life, aims to divert vulnerable young women away But the perceptions of many women living policy at the University of Illinois at from drugs, prostitution and street crime. their daily lives in Lesotho, is that they still get a Chicago. On the pitch, the roles seem strangely reversed. raw deal. “As you start moving forward in Young women, some in football gear that looks Courtesy of BBC Online time closer to the present day, your several sizes too big, scream with excitement every ability to explain away that difference time a goal is scored, while a team of male cheer- between men’s and women’s salaries es- leaders stands on the sidelines singing songs of Factfile from World sentially evaporates.” encouragement. Economic Forum Global The research looked at more than But life beyond the football pitch is still hard 8,000 new physicians in New York State. for Lesotho’s women, complains Lash. “It is not Gender Gap 2010 Ranking In 1999, the women earned $151,600 just the men that are holding women back, it is on average, compared with $173,400 1. Iceland for men; by 2008, the figures were also the mothers,” she says. 2. Norway She explains that they worry that men will be $174,000 for women and $209,300 for 3. Finland men. (The study adjusted for inflation.) displaced by “over-ambitious” women. 4. Sweden “We are not here to pose a threat. I want to see After accounting for differences in their 5. New Zealand practices, the study concluded, the pay more women engineers, more women construc- 6. Ireland tion workers, a political party run by a woman — gap had increased to $16,819 in 2008, 7. Denmark from $3,600 in 1999. then I will say that Lesotho has achieved equality.” 8. Lesotho Fifty per cent of Lesotho’s population live in 9. Philippines Courtesy of New York Times the rural areas. Until recently, customary laws 10. Switzerland applied in the countryside dictated that women 9 Issue Number 16 • April 2011 Middle East: Women and the revolution …By Naomi Wolf and lesser extent, throughout the Arab world. When women change, mong the most prevalent Western everything changes, and women in stereotypes about Muslim countries the Muslim world are changing radi- are those concerning Muslim wom- cally. en: doe-eyed, veiled, and submissive, The greatest shift is educational. Aexotically silent, gauzy inhabitants of imagined Two generations ago, only a small harems, closeted behind rigid gender roles. So minority of the daughters of the elite where were these women in Tunisia and Egypt? received a university education. To- In both countries, women protesters were day, women account for more than nothing like the Western stereotype: they were half of the students at Egyptian uni- front and centre, in news clips and on Facebook versities. forums, and even in the leadership. In Egypt’s They are being trained to use Tahrir Square, women volunteers, some accom- power in ways that their grandmoth- panied by children, worked steadily to support ers could scarcely have imagined: the protests — helping with security, communi- publishing newspapers (as Sanaa el cations and shelter. Many commentators cred- Seif did, in defiance of a government ited the great numbers of women and children order to cease operating); campaign- In a move not seen before, Egyptian women came out in large numbers to be part of a revolution in ing for student leadership posts; with the remarkable overall peacefulness of the Tahrir Square that saw the President Hosni Mubarak leave the seat of power. Picture: Internet protesters in the face of grave provocations. fundraising for student organisa- tions; and running meetings. Citizen reporters Indeed, a substantial minority of from leadership roles. But social media, through participate in freedom movements suggests that Other citizen reporters in Tahrir Square — young women in Egypt and other Arab coun- the very nature of the technology, have changed those in the region who would like to maintain and virtually anyone with a cell phone could tries have now spent their formative years think- what leadership looks and feels like today. Fa- iron-fisted rule are finished. become one — noted that the masses of women ing critically in mixed-gender environments, cebook mimics the way many women choose Just when France began its rebellion in involved in the protests were demographically and even publicly challenging male professors to experience social reality, with connections 1789, Mary Wollstonecraft, who had been inclusive. Many wore headscarves and other in the classroom. It is far easier to tyrannise a between people just as important as individual caught up in witnessing it, wrote her manifesto signs of religious conservatism, while others population when half are poorly educated and dominance or control, if not more so. for women’s liberation. After educated women revelled in the freedom to kiss a friend or smoke trained to be submissive. in America helped figh t for the abolition of a cigarette in public. But, as Westerners should know from their Democratic agitation slavery, they put female suffrage on the agen- own historical experience, once you educate But women were not serving only as support You can be a powerful leader on Facebook da. After they were told in the 1960’s that “the women, democratic agitation is likely to accom- workers, the habitual role to which they are rel- just by creating a really big “us”. Or you can stay position of women in the movement is prone”, egated in protest movements, from those of the pany the massive cultural shift that follows. the same size, conceptually, as everyone else on they generated “second wave” feminism — a 1960s to the recent student riots in the United The nature of social media, too, has helped your page – you don’t have to assert your domi- movement born of women’s new skills and old Kingdom. Egyptian women also organised, turn women into protest leaders. Having taught nance or authority. The structure of Facebook’s frustrations. strategised, and reported the events. Bloggers leadership skills to women for more than a de- interface creates what brick-and-mortar institu- Time and again, once women have fought such as Leil Zahra Mortada took grave risks to cade, I know how difficult it is to get them to tions, despite 30 years of feminist pressure, have the other battles for freedom of their day, they keep the world informed daily of the scene in stand up and speak out in a hierarchical or- failed to provide: a context in which women’s have moved on to advocate for their own rights. Tahrir Square and elsewhere. ganisational structure. Likewise, women tend ability to forge a powerful “us” and engage in a And, since feminism is simply a logical exten- The role of women in the great upheaval in to avoid the figurehead status that traditional leadership of service can advance the cause of sion of democracy, the Middle East’s despots are the Middle East has been woefully under-anal- protest has in the past imposed on certain activ- freedom and justice worldwide. facing a situation in which it will be almost im- ysed. Women in Egypt did not just “join” the ists – almost invariably a hotheaded young man Of course, Facebook cannot reduce the risks possible to force these awakened women to stop protests — they were a leading force behind the with a megaphone. of protest. But, however violent the immediate their fight for freedom — their own and that of cultural evolution that made the protests inevita- In such contexts — with a stage, a spotlight, future in the Middle East may be, the historical their communities. ble. And what is true for Egypt is true, to a greater and a spokesperson —women often shy away record of what happens when educated women — Women Wire Egyptian voters approve constitutional changes

…By Neil MacFarquhar three decades in power began Janu- tions. They said early elections would idea is that Muslims will vote yes and the 23 percent opposed should not go ary 25. The referendum result paved benefit the Brotherhood and the old Copts and atheists will vote no.” unnoticed. gyptian voters overwhelm- the way for early legislative elections governing party, which they warned Mohamed ElBaradei, a former top “This is an historic day and the ingly approved a referendum as early as June and a presidential would seek to write a constitution United Nations nuclear official and a start of a new era for Egypt,” he said on constitutional changes race possibly in August. The ruling that centralizes power, much like the Nobel Prize winner planning to run in an interview. “We are moving away that will usher in rapid elec- military council had sought the rapid old one. for president, opposed the amend- from a bad, autocratic and dictatorial tions,E with the results underscoring timetable to ensure its own speedy Voters were asked to either accept ments, as did Amr Moussa, the sec- system towards a democratic system. the strength of established political exit from running the country. or reject eight constitutional amend- retary general of the Arab League, This is the first brick in building our organisations, particularly the Mus- The military council has been ments as a whole — all of them de- another potential presidential candi- democracy.” lim Brotherhood, and the weakness somewhat vague about the next steps, signed to establish the foundations date. It was the first time the Muslim of emerging liberal groups. but Maj. Gen. Mamdouh Shaheen for coming elections. The amend- In a vote remarkably free of prob- Brotherhood had campaigned openly More than 14.1 million voters, told the Al Shorouk newspaper in ments were announced February 25 lems, Baradei was attacked by a mob since the party was banned in 1954. or 77.2 percent, approved the con- an interview that the generals would after virtually no public discussion by when he went to cast his ballot, flee- In Cairo and around the coun- stitutional amendments; 4 million, issue a constitutional declaration to an 11-member committee of experts ing a shower of rocks and bottles. His try, Egyptians stood patiently in long or 22.8 percent, voted against them. cover the changes and then set dates chosen by the military. supporters said the mob was paid. lines on Saturday to vote, with waiting The turnout of 41 percent among the for the vote once the results were an- “It is very, very disappointing,” in the capital well over three hours. 45 million eligible voters broke all re- nounced. said Hani Shukrallah, who is active in Voting Many said they were voting for the cords for recent elections, according a new liberal political party and is the Most “no” votes emerged from first time, participating in the process to the Egyptian government. Referendum editor of Ahram Online, a news Web Cairo and Alexandria, Shukrallah alone bringing a sense of euphoria. “This is the first real referendum The Muslim Brotherhood and site. He and many other opponents noted, whereas support flowed in The main group of young politi- in Egypt’s history,” said Mohamed remnant elements of the National of the referendum said religious or- heavily from the provinces. cal activists who helped organise the Ahmed Attia, chairman of the su- Democratic Party, which dominated ganisations had spread false rumours, “The revolution was a revolution revolution that toppled Mubarak had preme judicial committee that super- Egyptian politics for decades, were suggesting that voting against the ref- of the big cities,” he said. “The prov- crisscrossed the country in the weeks vised the elections, in announcing the the main supporters of the referen- erendum would threaten Article 2 of inces are just not there. The secular since the referendum was announced, results. “We had an unprecedented dum. They argued that the election the Constitution, which cites Islamic values that drove the revolution have trying to convince voters to hold out turnout because after January 25 timetable would ensure a swift return law as the main basis for Egyptian not reached them.” for a longer transitional period before people started to feel that their vote to civilian rule. law. Essam el-Erian, the spokesman elections. would matter.” Members of the liberal wing of “I saw one sign that said, ‘If you for the Muslim Brotherhood, hailed Liam Stark and Amr Emam con- President Hosni Mubarak was Egyptian politics mostly opposed the vote no you are a follower of America the results, saying that most Egyp- tributed reporting. forced from power last month, 18 measure, saying that they lacked time and Baradei, and if you vote yes you tians wanted to move forward toward days after demonstrations against his to form effective political organisa- are a follower of God’, ” he said. “The rapid change, though he noted that Courtesy of the New York Times 10 Issue Number 16 • April 2011 Women’s rights under the new Law

…By Claris Ogangah It clearly defines and provides for elimination of all forms of discrimi- ccess to education con- nation at the work place and pro- tinues to be a major chal- motes equality in all matters related lenge to the girl-child in to employment. The positive aspects Kenya. With the introduc- of the legislation are: Ation of free primary education by the i. It prohibits discrimination Government, there was increase in against women at the work place. the number of girls who enrolled in ii. It prohibits sexual harass- primary schools. However, this was ment at the work place. not the case in all parts of the coun- iii. It provides for equal pay for try especially in the rural areas where equal work value. This eliminates the cultural beliefs still dictate that girls practice where women received lesser should not go to school. pay as compared to the men. These beliefs coupled with harm- iv. It provides for three months ful practices such as Female Genital maternity leave without forfeiture of Mutilation and early marriages con- the annual leave. This provision is a tinue hindering the girl child from clear departure from the previous accessing education. legislation which provided for two This reveals the need for months maternity leave with forfei- the Government to under- ture of the annual leave. take public awareness initia- All these are positive provisions tives especially at the grassroots but without proper implementa- level of the importance of educating tion, they cannot be enjoyed by the the girl child. women. The Government needs to establish monitoring and evaluation Policy mechanisms to ensure that all em- There are commendable steps ployers properly incorporate the pro- (such as formulation of the Educa- visions of the Employment act No.11 tion policy) taken by the Government of 2007 into human resources and to ensure access to education by both organisational policies. the girl and boy child. However, sta- It is worth noting that even tistics show that although the number though there has been an increase in the number of women entering into Girls from Kenya High, a national school celebrate after an exemplary performance by its students in the 2010 of girls enrolling in primary school is Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examinations. Statistics show that although the number of girls enrolling in on the increase, the trend decreases the public and private sector, several primary school is on the increase, fewer girls enrol in secondary schools. Picture: Kenyan Woman Correspondent after completion of primary school obstacles still hinder more women to and fewer girls enrol in secondary access these sectors. schools. This is due to various reasons The major obstacle is lack of that include poverty, early marriages proper education which it automati- economic zones by setting up busi- areas are engaged mostly in agricul- all forms of discrimination at the and in some instances FGM. cally blocks them from easily access- nesses. Women, however, face a tural activities. work place. This has greatly enabled The Government should come ing the private and public sector of number of obstacles which mostly The above highlights the con- women to have equal social and eco- up with strategies of dealing with this employment. It leaves the women to condemn them to low income occu- tribution of Kenyan women to the nomic benefits with their male coun- worrying trend. It can do this by sub- struggle in the informal sector which pations. Women’s businesses gener- economy through business and in- terparts. There is, however, need to sidising the cost of secondary educa- only provides minimum wages which ally start small, grow slowly and end vestment. Their input is mainly in properly implement these laws so tion so that it is more affordable to are insufficient for the women to sus- smaller than men owned enterprises. agriculture and the informal sector as that their positive effects are enjoyed many more parents especially the low tain their families. The participation of women in more than 75 percent of the women by all women in Kenya. These pro- income earners. It should also take Kenya is also slow in sectors that in Kenya live in the rural areas. Two visions should trickle down to the drastic steps to ensure that harmful Recommendations require high capital requirements main reasons have been advanced grassroots level where women are (especially in manufacturing) where for the invisibility of women in the predominantly engaged in the in- practices and early marriages are dis- We urge the Government to:- they were found to be earning only mainstream economy. First, only one formal sector. Ensuring equality of pensed with. • address the issue of access to about 32 percent of what their male percent of all the titles over registered women and men in social-economic The legislation to address this education by girls; counterparts earn. land in Kenya are in favour of women. life greatly empowers women be- are in place (Children’s Act of 2001), • take immediate measures Statistics from the 2008 labour A further five to six percent is held by cause for a long time, they have been but much more needs to be done in to collect sex-disaggregated Force Report and the Kenya Inte- women jointly with men. This means discriminated. terms of implementation especially data to track women’s share grated Household Budget Survey that most women have no access to Reports indicate that there has in the rural areas. of wage employment in non- (KIBHS) of the same year indicate credit due to lack of collateral as land been increased enjoyment of socio agricultural sectors; that Kenya’s economically active pop- is the security most favourable to fi- economic benefits by women in the • increase gender-responsive Recommendations ulation — those aged 15-64 years con- nancial institutions. realm of property and land hold- social protection measures We urge the Government to:- stituted 12.7 million persons and 1.9 Apart from lack of control over ing, access to bank loans, mortgages to cushion women and men • Take measures to increase million unemployed persons, while land, it has been argued that the and financial credit. This indeed is a in vulnerable employment girls and women’s equal ac- the inactive population amounted to multi-tasking required of Kenyan positive milestone but the reality still against economic shocks; cess to education and train- 5.3 million persons. women due to their dual roles in the remains that many women in Kenya • take measures to regulate ing as a critical strategy for The overall participation rates were household economy and labour mar- are not economically empowered to employment in the informal achieving social transforma- ket has left them ‘time poor’. enable them access a fore mentioned sector where a majority of tion. An average Kenyan woman works benefits. These benefits are enjoyed women are employed. Kenya’s economically • To address the root causes of longer hours (about 13 hours) every- by a few of the population of women gender disparities in school active population — day compared to men. She, however, in Kenya. Women and economic and social enrolment and retention of ends up earning less because the benefit those aged 15-64 years girls at different levels of the hours dedicated to her private world Recommendations formal education systems in The economic inequality of men constituted 12.7 million are often not remunerated. both rural and urban areas, and women is a fundamental aspect Further, most businesses in Kenya We urge the Government to:- especially those related to of the stratification systems of mod- persons and 1.9 million require multiple licences both from • Implement the labour laws pregnancy and sexual vio- ern society. the central and local government. so that their positive effects lence. In Kenya gender based economic unemployed persons, The requirement for licences imposes are enjoyed by all women in • To address the issue of qual- inequality is intimately connected to while the inactive time and costs. These impact more Kenya; ity of education especially for the nature of gender relations. At least severely on women than men as the • Amend land laws to allow marginalized communities in part, because women tend to make population amounted to women are more time and financially women to own land and to by ensuring enough teachers less than men, women are more likely poor. use them as collaterals in ob- are deployed to these areas. to stay at home to take care of chil- 5.3 million persons. In recognition of the plight of taining credit; • Implement retention strate- • Come up with proper strat- dren than are men, women are more Statistics from the 2008 labour women in business and Investment, gies for girls including having likely to follow their spouses when the government of Kenya, in 2006 egies to economically and re-entry policies for girls who they pursue career opportunities than Force Report initiated and established the Women financially empower women left school due to pregnancy. the reverse and if unmarried, women Enterprise and Development Fund in Kenya so that they can are more likely than men to subsist at (WEDF) as a strategy to address enjoy equal social and eco- Women in employment or below the poverty line. slightly higher in urban than in rural poverty reduction through socio eco- nomic benefits as their male The Government has made com- These tendencies are part of a areas. A gender analysis showed that nomic empowerment of women. The counterparts. mendable efforts in ensuring the broader culture of male dominance the proportion of working females in aim of the fund is to facilitate wom- This paper was presented By elimination of all forms of discrimi- that tends to relegate women to the rural areas was higher than that of en’s access to micro finance. FIDA-Kenya as shadow statement nation against women in the field of ‘women’s roles’, both in the family and males, recording 77.1 percent and 70.3 The government has further ad- to the 55th session of the United employment. The Government en- economic relations. percent respectively. dressed the challenge of women’s access Nations Commission on the Status acted the Employment Act No. 11 of As entrepreneurs, women in Ke- This difference could be ex- to credit through various institutions. of Women at the United Nations 2007 which is in line with the prin- nya like men can take up advantages plained by the fact that a majority of Kenya has enacted new labour Headquarters, New York, February ciples of the 1998 ILO Convention. of opportunities created in special the women who reside in the rural laws which are intended to eliminate 2011 11 Issue Number 16 • April 2011 FGM retrogresses advancement in education

…By Fred Okoth “Looking at the figures being re- ported, sometimes I wonder what we espite millions being spent can do to these parents,” says Langat. in workshops on the dan- The two were speaking during an gers of female genital mu- alternative rite of passage ceremony tilation (FGM), the funds at Komotobo Mission in Kuria East haveD not been converted into mean- where advocates against FGM en- ingful statistics on the ground. couraged girls and their parents to And come January of every year, shun the vice. immediately after the December pe- Langat regretted that most of the riod where the region is rife with ac- parents in the area had declined to tivity as girls are initiated, the drop stop the practice despite serious ef- out rates among the girls just shoots forts by the Government to discour- up as the parents take the opportu- age it. nity to marry off young daughters to Ghati termed the situation as wor- get wealth under the pretext that they rying. She said: “We don’t understand were are now adults. Many are with- how all the gains which have been ex- perienced in the fight against the vice drawn from school irrelevant of what A man holds a panga shouting during the post election violence of 2007 that left over 1,000 Kenyans dead. The international community, through seem to be getting lost.” level of education they are in. the Rome Statute of which Kenya is signatory, is seeking to try masterminds of the violence, an action that is now being seen as ethnic and political. Today, Kuria has one of the lowest She added that in most cases, girls primary school pupils enrolment ra- are forced into FGM by their parents Pictures: Kenyan Woman Correspondent. tio in the country. It gets even gloom- and without their consent. ier when the ratio of the boys to girls Coordinator of anti-FGM efforts is considered. in Kuria East and West districts, Mr Mwita Samwel, admitted that efforts Education undertaken in the area did not seem This is a fact that Ms Denita Ghati, to have the desired results. Some of the over 400 girls who had been rescued from female genital “We have tried to have the vice Chairperson of the Education Centre mutilation during the passing out ceremony. Picture: Kenyan Woman Correspondant for the Advancement of Women, an eradicated here for some time but with- NGO involved in the fight against the out much success,” explained Mwita. vice and the convenor of alternative While the sight of over 400 girls rite of passage in Kuria attributes to singing and dancing after complet- ternative camps for alternative rite of FGM. ing an alternative rite of passage “We don’t understand passage in the past five years is wor- “If a culture is not protecting course would fill one with hope. ried. Tanzanian girls young girls and women, then it is an Mwita says this is just a camouflage how all the gains which “It has reached a point where we obligation for the government to step and there is still a lot more that have been experienced in have to make sure that something is in and end it,” said Ghati. needs to be done. done about the practice,” she reiter- risk rape to go While most of the Kenyan com- the fight against the vice ated, adding “it was such practices Right of passage that made the community lag behind munities seems to be making a defi- nite movement away from FGM, Reports abound of how girls who seem to be getting lost in all spheres of life”. to school the Kuria community seems to be have attended the alternative rite of She urged government agencies …By Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux digressing from all the gains made in passage camps for over a month and but in most cases, girls and other bodies involved in trying the fight against the practice. ‘graduated’ into adulthood, go home are forced into female to stop the vice to step up their efforts or Tanzanian girls trying to go to Unofficial figures from the pro- and end up being forced to undergo saying more had to be done than just school, the stakes are unbeliev- vincial administration indicate that the cut, immediately throwing all ef- genital mutilation by their saying that the government had disal- ably high in the dangerous tem- for the first time in over a decade, the forts into disarray. lowed the practice. porary accommodation where parents and without their Ghati indicated that there were number of girls circumcised might Things are further complicated theF girls attending senior schools must just have surpassed that of the boys. by the high number of Tanzanian consent.” legal ways to ensure the rights of the live. They are subject to sexual harass- According to the District Chil- girls who cross the border during girls were not violated. She further ment and sometimes rape. pointed out that Kenya had already dren’s officer in Kuria West, Mr the December holidays to take part — Ms Dennitah Ghati, chairperson Their stories are heartbreaking and John Langat, the rise in the numbers in the rite, making even the Ke- signed and ratified a number of inter- often result in them abandoning the edu- makes it impossible for even govern- nyans who had thought of avoiding of the Education Centre for the national treaties protecting the rights cation that they have had to work so hard ment agencies to understand why the the rite change their minds. Advancement of Women of the girl child and wondered why to access. The men who harass and assault number of girls undergoing the rite is Ghati whose organisation has serious efforts were not being made the girls act mostly with impunity, the increasing. been involved in setting up of al- to have them implemented. rapes are yet to result in a conviction. “Even if we scream for help, people hardly come to our rescue,” explained one of the girls. “By the time the police get here, well... they’ll already be finished. So the men just do what they want.” In the past decade, a number of sec- ondary schools have been opened as a response to the expansion in primary schools. But because they are far from Campaign helps reduce dropout rate many villages, girls resort to living in cheap rented huts in commonly known as “ghettoes”, which are located near the …By Musembi Nzengu was worrying,” explained Mwaro. Maluki who is the Area Education Officer in schools. There is little security, but the He said consequently a plan mooted in which charge of Mui division disclosed that since the girls risk the danger for an education, campaign launched last year to stop head teachers shared information with chiefs and campaign was launched his department had han- which many believe will help lift them out girls from dropping out of school in their assistants on girls who were absent from dled 21 cases of pregnancy and early marriage. of poverty. Mwingi East District has yielded posi- school in unexplained circumstances and a fol- Speaking on behalf of the District Education tive results. lowed up made with the parents or guardians to officer, Maluki said that already 15 of the cases had Sexual assault AArea District Commissioner, Mr Martin Mwa- establish whether it was due to marriage or being been referred to a court of law in Mwingi while If girls are sexually assaulted, the ro said before the campaign was launched in the in the family way. six others were under investigations that would be consequences can be dire. Some schools second half of last year, primary school girls were Mwaro pointed out that in most cases it was concluded soon. have a drop-out rate of up to 20 percent dropping out at a shocking rate due to pregnancy discovered that girls were absent from school after He noted that the cases in question involved because of pregnancy. Officials speculate and early marriage as amorous men ostensibly had becoming pregnant or prematurely getting into a girls from 20 primary schools in Mwingi East that many of these are due to rape, which a field day. marriage relationship. district. He named the primary schools notori- often go unreported because of stigma. However, despite the vigorous campaign, sev- ous for cases of early marriages and pregnancies Non-government organisations’ work- en expectant girls sat last year’s Kenya Certificate Facing the law as Kateiko, Kyangu, Kamulewa, Munyuni and ers in the area have cited the need for in- of Primary Education (KCPE) Examination. He said through the mechanism, some of the Nzanzu. creased education about this pressing issue. Mwaro said in an interview with the Reject re- men who had developed a habit of preying on the “Through collaboration with the Children’s “It is not enough just to build a hostel to cently that the campaign to save the girl child was school girls have been brought to face the law with department, and non-governmental organisations keep girls safe. It is this endemic idea that mooted by the District Education Board (DEB) some already having cases pending in courts of like Can Do, pregnant girls have been encouraged men have rights over women that needs to whose members were moved by the increasing law. He said others have been convicted and are to remain in school until they due date and go back change,” said Rosie Martin, chief director number of girls dropping out due to early mar- serving jail terms. after weaning their children,” explained Maluki. of African Initiatives. This story both illus- riage and pregnancy. The DC’s sentiments were corroborated by a He noted that due to drastic action taken trates the bravery of the girls who are still, “Between June and July last year we started senior education officer from the area, John Malu- against men who cause girls to drop out of school, in the face of these terrible risks, attempt- this campaign to basically retain the girl child in ki, who reiterated that the Female Genital Mutila- majority have ceased having relationships with ing to get an education, and highlights the school. We had established that the drop-out rate tion (FGM) practice and widespread cases of rape school girls and cases of early pregnancy and mar- need both to provide them with security particularly among the girls in primary schools contributed to high dropout rate among girls. riage have drastically reduced. and raise awareness about the horror of sexual assault and harassment. 12 Issue Number 16 • April 2011 Culture overrides need for girls’ education

By Chrispinus Omar commotion prompting the school’s head teacher to seek his help. ducation for the girl-child re- “We had to call the police who mains a mere wish in the arid arrested the father and some of the and semi-arid regions. The rowdy people who were determined situation gets worse during to whisk the girl away so that she can theE dry seasons when families have start her new role as a wife,” explains to move in search of water and pas- Korombori. ture. Most parents in these areas do The girl child in Turkana remains not value education and rarely enrol under threat because of retrogressive their children in the usually scattered cultural beliefs. schools. “The girl has no choice over her “Asking your children to assist destiny. The parents can decide when you put food on the table and sending she should be married and to whom. them to school for a couple of years, The decision is usually informed by quite unsure of what they will be af- where more cows will come from,” ter their studies. What option will you notes Korombori. go for?” poses Mzee Tomuny Chelal, He suggests that there is need for a a resident of East Pokot district as he rescue centre to cater for girls fleeing justifies his objection to children go- from forced and early marriages as ing to school. the government works at reconciling Pressure from provincial admin- them with their parents. istrators keen to enforce the govern- ment policy that education was free Hardship Ministry of education officials at Our Lady and compulsory in primary has seen Turkana is a hardship area. Many of Mercy Girls’ Secondary School during parents cannot afford to buy uniforms him identify some of his children to the Turkana West District education day. enrol in school. and other materials that are not ca- Inset: Students Kakuma Girls’ Primary Mzee Chelal has three wives and tered for under the free primary and each had to let one child to go to subsidised secondary education pro- School entertain guests during day at Our school. Such children are selectively gramme. Lady of Mercy Girls’ Secondary School. identified as they must be those who “Such children need support or The girl child education is threatened by are lazy and have shown little interest they will succumb to the community’s retrogressive traditions like forced early demands that contravene their rights. in herding livestock. marriage and female genital mutilation. “Livestock is our main source of Most of them are usually ignored by wealth. We give them out as dowry their parents for going against the Pictures: Chrispinus Omar besides rearing them for meat and community’s cultures,” explains Ko- milk,” Chelal asserts. rombori. There is need for leaders to be in cultural practices are a major been circumcised, nothing will stop Enrolment in Turkana is still dis- the frontline in the war against illit- challenge to accessing education me from marrying her if she is still Early marriages mal and the completion rate for girls eracy since they command respect of among the pastoralist communities, single,” says Julius Loitakori, 24. Girls are no lucky lot as they are is low as they are affected by early and their communities. distance to schools has also been a de- Further, persistant dry spells have forced marriages. married off long before they mature, “Local leaders have a pivotal role terrent factor. also contributed to keeping children to men as old as their parents. “Circumcision is not practiced to play in changing the community’s “We have no schools around here. in this community but dropout rates out of school. Consequently Sam- On February 16, a furious parent perception so that more children can We have to trek for many kilometres buru East MP, Mr Raphael Letimalo start as early as when one is in Stan- enrol in schools and staying on to through thick bushes. On the way, we who was accompanied by his accom- says the Government should re-en- dard Three because most of them en- completion,” he says. are exposed to men who can elope plices stormed Kakuma Girls Board- force education policies to ensure all ing Primary School in Turkana West rol quite late,” Korombori explains. Though outdated traditional and with us and go scot free as long as children, male and female who have District. He wanted to withdraw his they part with the required dowry,” daughter from school. says Margaret Longorikemer, 17, attained the school going age are en- He wanted the daughter who had “The girl has no choice over her destiny. The from North Pokot. rolled and assisted through the feed- fled from home in favour of education The community views a girl who ing programmes to remain at school to accept a marriage proposal from an parents can decide when she should be married has reached puberty or undergone especially, during the dry spells of elderly man who had already paid and to whom. The decision is usually informed by circumcision as ripe for marriage. the year. dowry. “In this community, girls have “It should be a sustainable project According to Turkana West Dis- where more cows will come from.” no say. There is nothing like rights as so that the children can be assured trict Education Officer, Mr Wilson our traditions are more superior to of staying in school for as long as it — Mr Wilson Korombori, Turkana West District Education Officer Korombori, the ugly incident caused other external forces. After a girl has takes,” reiterates Letimalo.

Women scientists get a boost in research programmes …By Duncan Mboyah can women in agricultural science, The project is funded by Bill and support for the career development of empowering them to contribute more Melinda Gates Foundation, United African women scientists. he African Women in Ag- effectively to poverty alleviation and States International Aid (USAid) and Women scientists from agricul- ricultural Research and food security in sub-Saharan Africa. CGIAR and offers two‐year fellow- tural economics, agricultural engi- Development (AWARD) Almost 2,000 women from 10 ships focused on establishing men- neering, agronomy, animal and live- has announced a sponsor- countries have so far competed for toring partnerships, building science stock sciences, aquatic resources and Tship for women agricultural scientists 180 fellowships offered since the in- skills and developing leadership ca- fisheries, biodiversity conservation, from 11 African countries. ception of the project in 2008. Out pacity. crop science, ecology, entomology, AWARD has already sent their of these, there are 41 Kenyan women Wilde observed that the organisa- extension education , food science 2011 application calls for eligible sci- scientists. tions address many of the barriers, in- and nutrition, forestry and agro for- entists with end of March being the Up to 70 top African women sci- cluding lack of role models and men- estry, horticulture, molecular biology deadline. entists who are currently conducting tors, which prevent African women (plant/animal breeding), natural re- “We expect to receive even more agricultural research in selected disci- from playing a more active role in sources management, plant/animal applications this year as we expand to plines are to be considered under the agricultural research and considering virology, soil science, veterinary sci- Liberia and word about the benefits of project. a career in agricultural science. ences and water and irrigation man- AWARD spreads to women scientists The sponsorship is reserved for “We are pleased and excited to of- agement are eligible beneficiaries. African women scientists working fer this unique opportunity to African Under AWARD, the scientists are and agricultural institutions through- “We are pleased and in agricultural research and develop- women agricultural scientists whose working with women in rural areas in out the region,” said Ms Vicki Wilde, ment from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, excited to offer this work is so critical,” Wilde said. tackling poverty and hunger are given AWARD Director. Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nige- Nearly 50 percent of AWARD’s preference. AWARD, a project of the gen- ria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and unique opportunity mentors are African men in senior It also focuses on career develop- der and diversity programme of the Zambia who have completed a Bach- positions who play a key role in influ- ment, adding value to existing aca- Consultative Group on International elor’s, Master’s, or doctoral degrees in to African women encing organizational culture about demic training programs, nourishing Agricultural Research (CGIAR) was selected agricultural disciplines. agricultural scientists the important role of African women the talent pipeline for agricultural launched following a successful three- “Our goal is to strengthen the re- scientists. research and development through year pilot programme in East Africa search and leadership skills of African whose work is so AWARD is a $15 million, five-year carefully tailored fellowship packages with support from the Rockefeller women in agricultural science, em- project with plans to expand to a sec- for women with bachelor’s, master’s Foundation. powering them to contribute more critical.” ond phase starting in 2012. and doctoral degrees and engaging It is a professional development effectively to poverty alleviation and —Vicki Wilde, AWARD Director AWARD currently partners with with African leaders in agriculture, programme that strengthens the re- food security in sub-Saharan Africa,” some 75 national agricultural research both men and women, to raise aware- search and leadership skills of Afri- said Wilde. institutions, raising awareness and ness and build networks. 13 Issue Number 16 • April 2011 Obiageli Ezekwesili Holding the top turf at the world’s bank

…By Kenyan Woman writer skilled health personnel.” She has a rich resume with hands-on expe- here are very few women holding po- rience and accomplishments in a unique mix of sitions of decision making in interna- private sector, civil society and public sector posi- tional organisations. However, the few tions. That is why she insists on capacity building who are there have made a mark, and on a universal principal to extend and expand op- weT honour all of them today as we mark 100 portunities. years of the struggle for women’s liberation. “Knowledge is at the heart of capacity to make At the World Bank, the there are women in better choices.” positions of decision-making. One of them is She insists that states must place emphasis on Ms Obiageli Ezekwesili, Vice President of World policies that make life better for women. When Bank a Nigerian national, joined the World Bank, women lose hope then it becomes “an incredible as Vice President of the Africa Regionon May 1, undoing factor”. 2007. Obiageli, or Oby as she is popularly known is a Nigerian national, who joined the World Career path Bank from her most recent position as Minister Oby began her career as an auditor and man- of Education within the Government of Nigeria. agement consultant, where she focused on finan- Oby brought in a unique blend of first-hand cial planning, SME financing, audit and regula- experiences, especially in the more challeng- tory compliance. ing and complex areas of energy sector reform From 1994 to 1999, she served as one of the and education, position her well to deal with the founding members of Transparency Internation- many challenges in Africa. al where she held the positionDirector, Africa. In A critical factor in Oby’s leadership style is 2000, Oby went on to serve as Special Assistant her ability to achieve client “buy-in” no matter to the President of Nigerian Budget Monitoring, how extensive the reform strategy presented. and the Price Intelligence Unit, where she spear- headed institutional reforms through the estab- Dedication lishment of due process mechanisms and strate- Oby’s life is a testament to her dedication to gies. Africa as is the high degree of respect in which In this capacity, Oby achieved previously she is held by the international community. Her unheard of success by markedly reducing both passion for and commitment to Africa, her high procurement costs to the Government and turn- Ms Obiageli Ezekwesili, Vice President of World Bank Africa. Picture: Kenyan Woman Correspondent degree of integrity and her optimism brings around time for completion of Government proj- strengths to the region. ects, while improving transparency. She has always insisted that the world must She subsequently served as Minister of Solid up Nigeria’s mining sector to private participation. structured and refocused the ministry for the at- invest in women. Speaking at the Women Deliver Minerals Development, with emphasis on re- Oby has also served as the Chairperson for tainment of EFA targets and MDGs, introduced conference in Washington in June 2010, Oby forming Nigeria’s mining sector to internation- the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Public Private Partnership models for service de- could not help drawing from her background as ally recognised standards, especially in the area of Initiative since 2004 and pioneered the voluntary liver, revamped the Federal Inspectorate Service one versed in economics: “The world must invest policy transparency, with the purpose of increas- sign-on of Nigeria to the EITI Principles,as well as an improved quality assurance mechanism in women. Investing in women is smart econom- ing levels of global investment and investor confi- as the first ever audit of the oil and gas sector. and introduced transparency and accountability ic.” dence, in the sector. Since June 2006, Oby has been the Minister mechanisms for better governance of the budget. Oby reiterated that economic empowerment She provided leadership in the drafting of the of Education where she was tasked with leading The track record attesting toOby’s innovative of women is a key factor of the decade. “Making a Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, establishing the country’s on-going comprehensive reform success in this area culminated with the Nigerian woman economically powerful reduces poverty.” the Nigerian Mining Cadastre Office and opening strategy within the education sector.She has re- stock exchange launch of “Adopt-A-Public School She reiterated that capacity building for wom- Initiative” earlier this year. en was important and particularly in the area of “Emphasis must be placed on policies that make life better for Oby holds a Masters in International Law reproductive health. “As we improve and scale up and Diplomacy from University of Lagos, along investment, the World Bank has put a lot of mon- women. When women lose hope then it becomes an incredible with a Masters in Public Administration from the ey in reproductive health, focusing on high fertil- Kennedy School of Government, Harvard. She is ity rates and putting out $4.1 billion.” She added: undoing factor.” also a chartered accountant. “These are devoted to reproductive health issues that address better access to family planning and — Ms Obiageli Ezekwesili, Vice President of World Bank Africa — Extra information from the Internet

Having more women good for business, but... eclaring that gender equality agree, empowering women fuels econo- to fully integrate gender equality. in the private sector is “good mies and social progress. The Women’s While 72 percent of executives sur- for business”, 167 chief execu- Empowerment Principles offer a tool for veyed in 2010 by McKinsey & Co. tives from around the world a results-based partnership with the busi- agreed that there is a correlation be- haveD signed the Women’s Empowerment ness community.” tween gender diversity and business Principles — Equality Means Business. Executive Director of the UN Global success, only 28 percent said it is a UN Women and UN Global Com- Compact Georg Kell said: “The private top-ten priority for senior leadership. pact, champions of the initiative, released sector increasingly identifies investing Since the Women’s Empower- the list of executives at the Equality Means in women as a vital business strategy, es- ment Principles were launched just Business: Putting Principles into Practice sential to innovation, sound management one year ago, companies report that conference. It marked the first anniversary and increased profits.” the CEO commitment has stimu- of the launch of the principles. Practice lated activities to promote gender equality. One company changed its Opening the two-day event, UN He added: “By turning the prin- recruitment policies to seek a higher Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-moon ciples into practice, companies create percentage of female candidates for commended CEOs who have signed the a blueprint for equality that strength- all jobs. Another company altered principles, but also challenged business ens existing efforts, focuses on imple- procurement practices to include leaders to do much more: “We would like mentation and helps create sustainable more women vendors. Companies to see this leadership community grow value.” have pointed out that the lack of data exponentially, forming national coali- The business case for gender diver- broken down for men and women tions to advance these goals across sec- sity and equality has rapidly developed. hampers efforts to measure progress, tors, as they are starting to do in Brazil Among Fortune 500 companies, those in and have called on UN Women and and elsewhere.” the top quartile, when it comes to wom- the UN Global Compact to work Michelle Bachelet, former President of en’s representation on their boards, out- with them on a reporting frame- perform those in the lowest quartile by at Chile and the first Executive Director of work aligned with the Women’s Em- least 53 percent on return on equity. UN Women said: “Gender equality is not powerment Principles. only a basic human right, but as business, However, many executives acknowledge economic and development experts now that it is difficult to change corporate cultures — Courtesy of UN Women Women traders selling sardines. More women in business will lead to improved economies worldwide. Picture: Kenyan Woman Correspondent 14 Issue Number 16 • April 2011 History’s most rebellious women

…From Time Magazine Phoolan Devi, India Tawakul Karman, Phoolan Devi, the “Bandit Queen”, is re- Yemen membered as both a champion of India’s poor and one of the modern nation’s most infamous Tawakul Karman, a 32-year-old mother of outlaws. Following an early, non-consensual three and chair of Women Journalists With- marriage and several sexual abductions, Devi out Chains — a Yemeni group that defends began a streak of violent robberies across human rights and freedom of expression — northern and central India, targeting upper was filled with renewed energy watching the castes. In 1981 she led her gang of bandits to people of Tunisia and Egypt fight for democ- massacre more than 20 men in the high-caste racy in January 2011. But her struggle to pres- village where her former lover was killed. Devi sure Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh — negotiated her sentence with the Indian gov- who has been in power since 1978 — to step ernment to 11 years in jail. Within two years down began long before Tunisia’s revolution of her release, she was elected to Parliament. started a domino effect in the Arab world. While some say she did little to improve the Karman has been protesting in front of Sana’a lower castes’ plight during her two terms in of- University, in the nation’s capital, every Tues- fice, her opposition to the caste system made Devi a symbol for the rights of the poor and the op- day since 2007. She insists upon a peaceful ap- pressed. — Zoe Fox proach to bring about change. Still, she has been arrested several times, including in late January, when protests broke out across Yemen, where 40 percent of the 23 million citizens live on $2 a day or less. Saleh has offered to resign once his term ends in 2013, but on March 4, he rejected a transi- tion plan to democracy. Yemenis, including Karman, want change now. In February, Karman told Angela Davis, The US TIME, “The goal is to change the regime by the slogan we learned from the Tunisian revolution: ‘the By the time Angela Davis was 26, she was a people want the regime to fall’.” — Frances Romero scholar, a political activist and a Most Wanted Fugitive of the FBI. Her roots as a leader during the political turmoil of the 1960s stretch back to her childhood in segregated Birmingham, Aung San Suu Kyi, Ala. After spending a year at the Sorbonne, Burma Davis returned to a racially heated America. By the late 1960s, she held membership in the After 15 long years under house arrest in Student Non-violent Coordinating Commit- Burma, Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi tee, the Black Panther Party and the American was finally granted freedom in November 2010, Communist Party. Her militant involvement even as her country and the cause she has been cost her a UCLA lecturer position when the fighting for sank deeper into political impris- California regents learned of her affiliations in onment under the military junta’s repressive 1970. However, Davis’ activism continued with rule. Known as “the Lady” to millions of Bur- her support of three Black Panther inmates at mese citizens who consider her more of a god- Soledad State Prison. At their trial, for a prison dess than a rebel, Suu Kyi has been the foremost guard’s murder, a botched kidnap and escape leader in the effort to democratise the Southeast attempt resulted in the death of a federal judge, Harold J. Haley. Davis was accused of supplying the Asian nation as well as a courageous advocate guns. She fled, sparking a furious manhunt and landing her a spot on the Most Wanted list. While for human rights and peaceful revolution. The she was on the run, a movement advocating her freedom flourished. Davis was caught in New York daughter of an assassinated independence hero, but was acquitted in 1972. Despite the agitation of then California Governor Ronald Reagan, she Suu Kyi seemingly fell into her role as Burma’s resumed her teaching career at several universities in the state and is now a professor emerita at the icon. After spending much of her life overseas in India, the US, Japan and England, where she mar- University of California, Santa Cruz. She has authored several books, including Women, Culture ried and had two sons, Suu Kyi returned home in 1988 to care for her ailing mother. While there, and Politics (1988) and Are Prisons Obsolete? (2003). —Madison Gray protesters gathered to call for the ouster of a regime whose mismanagement had caused a sweeping economic downturn. The army fired on the assembled group of students, monks and workers, and for the first time, the Lady stepped forward to address the people. Suu Kyi founded the National League for Democracy in 1989, and the party secured a decisive victory in the 1990 elections, which Golda Meir, Israel would have effectively made Suu Kyi Prime Minister. Instead, the junta refused to hand over power David Ben-Gurion famously described and enacted a constitution that forbade Suu Kyi from ever serving as Burma’s leader. Despite this Golda Meir as “the only man” in his Cabinet. obstacle, the Lady and the Burmese people are not ready to give up. Since her release, Suu Kyi has Although best known as Israel’s Prime Minister sought to negotiate with the junta that imprisoned her for all those years, but so far it has ignored during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Meir made her. “I wish I could have tea with them every Saturday, a friendly tea,” the Lady told TIME after her her mark on the revolutionary Zionist move- release. And if not, “We could always try coffee.” — Erin Skarda ment during the pre-state period. After several influential Zionist leaders were arrested in 1946 in Palestine, Meir became the primary negotia- Corazon Aquino, tor between the Jews and the British Mandate. Simultaneously, she stayed in close contact with The Philippines the armed Jewish resistance movements. When A self-proclaimed “plain housewife”, Cora- the Arabs rejected the UN’s 1947 recommend- zon Aquino led the Philippines’ 1986 “people ed partition of Palestine, Meir ensured that the power” revolution, toppling autocrat Ferdinand young Jewish settlement would not be defeated Marcos after 20 years of rule. Aquino’s journey in the imminent war. During a January 1948 from Senator’s wife to President of the Philip- trip to the US, she raised $50 million from the pines began with the 1983 assassination of Jewish Diaspora community. Ben-Gurion said Meir would be remembered as “the woman who her husband Benigno Aquino Jr, who had re- got the money to make the state possible”. That spring, she was one of the 25 signatories of Israel’s turned from exile in the US to run against Mar- Declaration of Independence. — Zoe Fox cos. When the autocrat called a snap election, Corazon took up her husband’s cause. Though Marcos claimed electoral victory, Aquino led Vilma Lucila Espín, a peaceful revolution across the nation of im- poverished islands. Emotional supporters came Cuba out in droves during a two-week standoff, and Many of the leaders of the Cuban revolu- eventually, the military reversed course and tion were among the very Latin elites whose su- supported her. Aquino became President upon premacy over the masses they set out to topple. Marcos’ resignation. Despite coup attempts and That is they were male and from the profes- corruption charges, she took significant strides sional class. Fidel Castro was trained as a law- toward democracy, including ratifying a consti- yer, while Ernesto “Che” Guevara studied med- tution that limits the power of the presidency. icine. But the spirit of the rebellion was most Long after stepping down in 1992, Aquino vividly embodied by the “First Lady” of Cuba’s continued to advocate against policies she felt communist revolution, Vilma Lucila Espín. threatened the country’s democratic ideals. Though she died in 2009, Aquino remains a symbol of Her father was a lawyer for the rum company the power of peaceful popular movements. —Zoe Fox Bacardi, whose business exploits in Cuba were viewed by Castro’s July 26 Movement as treat- ing the island nation like a Yankee playground. After training as a chemical engineer, including a year of study at MIT, Espín took up arms against the Batista dictatorship in the 1950s and debunked the notion of the docile Caribbean woman with her public appearances in full army fatigues. —Daniel Fastenberg Continued on page 15 15 Issue Number 16 • April 2011 History’s most rebellious women

from page 14 suffrage movement deepened, and she formed the Women’s Social and Political Union, which Jiang Qing, China embraced the motto “Deeds, not words”. The WSPU, led by Pankhurst and her eldest daughter Looking back, it’s almost as if Jiang Qing Christabel, carried out public demonstrations and did not shy away from violent activism — arson, lived two lives: one that began in extreme vandalism and hunger strikes were commonplace for the group. Pankhurst was routinely arrested poverty and led to a short career as an actress — in 1912 alone she was arrested 12 times — but she never strayed from her pursuit of equality. She and several failed marriages, and another as reminded the courts in 1912 that “we are here not because we are lawbreakers; we are here in our a radical member of the communist regime, efforts to become lawmakers”. While the merits of her methods are still debated today, there is no which brought terror and destruction to doubt over the role that Pankhurst played in the enfranchisement of British women. The right was China during the Cultural Revolution. But extended to all women in 1928, the year Pankhurst died. —Megan Gibson despite the duality of her life, Jiang is remem- bered as one of the most brutal, unrepentant revolutionaries in modern history. After Harriet Tubman, marrying Chairman Mao Zedong in 1938, Jiang used her status to satisfy her unyield- The US ing desire for power. “The Madame”, as she Explaining her decision to escape from was known, managed to climb the ladder slavery, Harriet Tubman once quoted an ear- of the Communist Party, eventually becom- lier American revolutionary by saying, “There ing the leader of the infamous Gang of Four was one of two things I had a right to, liberty or — a group that included Zhang Chunqiao, death; if I could not have one, I would have the Yao Wenyuan and Wang Hongwen and was other”. Choosing liberty, Tubman, who was born thought to be responsible for much of the persecution and destruction that took place from 1966 to a slave in 1820, fled Maryland and followed the 1969. Exact death tolls during this time are unknown, but estimates place them at 500,000, in addi- North Star to the free state of Pennsylvania. A tion to the destruction of countless cultural entities such as ancient books, buildings and paintings. year later, she returned to Maryland to help her While Jiang was heavily involved in the Cultural Revolution, she was quick to assign responsibility family escape, the first of 19 missions she would to Mao, famously saying, “I was Mao’s dog; I bit whom he said to bite.” Jiang refused to apologise for make to rescue more than 300 slaves on the Un- the criminal charges that were eventually brought against her, instead spending a decade in prison derground Railroad. After an 1850 law required before allegedly committing suicide in 1991. — Erin Skarda free states to return escaped slaves to their own- ers, Tubman made sure slaves could escape even farther north, to Canada. During the Civil War, Nadezhda she was the first woman to lead a military expedition, liberating more than 700 slaves in South Krupskaya, Russia Carolina. Tubman ended her life of activism fighting for women’s suffrage in New York. —Zoe Fox The spirit of protest coursed through Na- dezhda Krupskaya’s veins early in life. As a girl in late-19th Century St. Petersburg, she would Mary Wollstonecraft, play with children outside of the factory where Britain her father worked and ambush the manager with snowballs. Educated at a liberal high In the male-dominated, hierarchical society of school, Krupskaya went on to teach evening 18th Century Britain, Mary Wollstonecraft was a classes to industrial workers, and by 1889, she radical who publicly put forward the unprecedented had encountered Marxism in underground claim that women were more than possessions. She circles. Along with fellow radical Vladimir went head to head with one of the most prominent Lenin, she helped set up the League of Struggle political thinkers of the time, Edmund Burke. And for the Emancipation of the Working Class in in her two most famous works, A Vindication of the 1895. Police arrested them both shortly after- Rights of Men (1790) and A Vindication of the Rights ward, and they married while exiled in Siberia. of Woman (1791), she demonstrates a strong politi- After her release in 1901, she followed Lenin cal voice, defending the rights of women as equal to to Munich, Geneva and London, all the while those of men. In Wollstonecraft’s opinion, the way helping run Iskra (the Spark), an international in which girls were brought up, to be “empty-headed newspaper for Marxists. After World War I, Krupskaya returned to Russia and became a key figure play things”, contributed to a morally bankrupt so- in the Bolshevik Party in Vyborg — a major working-class hub in Petrograd — and pressed the cen- ciety, ungoverned by reason. It was in this view of the world that Wollstonecraft showed her true tral committee to kick-start the October Revolution in 1917. Her ashes are interred in the Kremlin colours as one of the earliest and most influential rebellious women. —Elizabeth Tyler Wall adjacent to Lenin’s Mausoleum in Red Square. —William Lee Adams Joan of Arc, France Susan B. Anthony, The French peasant girl had a dream — in fact she had many dreams, visions in which Christian The US saints would come to her, urging her to take up the A male schoolteacher once told young Susan B. fight against the English, who occupied much of Anthony that she did not need to learn long divi- northern France. Improbably, Joan made her way to sion because “a girl needs to know how to read the the court of the cowed French dauphin, or prince, Bible and count her egg money, nothing more”. She and impressed the royals with her holy cause to never forgot the slight. In 1846 Anthony, then a 26- the point that she was given armor and troops to year-old school headmistress, began campaigning command. At Orleans in 1429, Joan proved her for equal pay for female teachers. Five years later, mettle by famously leading the assault that lifted she met fellow women’s-rights advocate Elizabeth the English siege of the city. A pivotal victory, it Cady Stanton and the outspoken duo began touring spurred other quick successes and turned the tide the country arguing the case for women’s suffrage. against the English invaders. A few years later, In 1868 Anthony first published The Revolution, though, Joan was captured by the forces of Eng- a women’s-rights newspaper, and a year later she land’s French allies and burned in a public square founded the National Woman’s Suffrage Association. on grounds of heresy and witchcraft. The French Plenty of men tried to stop her along the way. US King Charles VII, whose crown had been secured marshals arrested Anthony for voting illegally in the in part by Joan’s heroics, did little to try to save her. 1872 presidential election, and a judge later fined her $100. “I shall never pay a dollar of your unjust But history and popular legend redeemed Joan, penalty,” she said at the time. Anthony died in 1906 — 14 years before the 19th Amendment gave who was canonized in 1920 by the Vatican and remains one of France’s patron saints. —Ishaan Tharoor women the right to vote. —William Lee Adams Boudica, Britain Emmeline Pankhurst, In the 1st century A.D., a native rebellion shook a backward, remote corner of the Roman Em- pire: Britain. At its head was an angry woman, Boudica, Queen of the Iceni, a tribe that dwelled in Britain what is now eastern England. The Iceni had been a peaceful folk, content under the Pax Romana. No one embodied the expression “Well-behaved But after Boudica’s husband died, an avaricious Roman official annexed her lands and had Boudica women rarely make history” quite like Emmeline publicly flogged and her daughters raped. Not long thereafter, with the Romans distracted on a Pankhurst. As the leader of Britain’s women’s-suf- campaign in Wales, Boudica rose up, leading a coalition of tribes on a revenge mission, surprising frage movement, Pankhurst was not only a pioneer Roman garrisons, razing cities to the ground (including ancient London) and slaughtering tens of of women’s rights in the UK but also a staunch ad- thousands of Romanized Britons. The uprising prompted some in Rome to consider a full with- vocate of public revolt. Encouraged by her father, drawal from the troublesome island colony, but the better-equipped and trained Roman forces Pankhurst’s interest in the suffrage movement began eventually defeated Boudica’s rebels. According to some accounts, much like Cleopatra, Boudica at a young age. At 20 she wed Richard Pankhurst, a took her own life rather than risk capture. She is remembered as one of Britain’s original nationalist lawyer who encouraged her endeavours with the heroes, a righteous, vengeful mother of the land. In the 19th century, Queen Victoria invoked the Women’s Franchise League. After her husband’s spirit of Boudica to characterize her own reign, presiding, at the time, over the world’s great super- death in 1898, Pankhurst’s involvement with the power. —Ishaan Tharoor 16 Issue Number 16 • April 2011 Only one hospice in Freetown serves the needs of Sierra Leone’s dying …By Mark Doyle Saidu feels is shame. “Look at me. I am 17, a big boy. I should be able n the edge of a small vil- to help my mother, but instead I am lage just outside Sierra sick and I sleep in the same room as Leone’s capital, Freetown, her. My little brother of six has to do there is a line of four or all the chores,” he says. fiveO mud-brick rooms. A few doors along in the row Most of the 20 or so residents of village rooms, a young woman, there — men, women and children Emma Kamara, can barely move. - are in real danger of dying from She has a cough which convulses her untreated tuberculosis (TB). But in thin frame. a hospital in Freetown, just a couple John Conteh, a social worker of hours drive away, women are giv- from a nearby clinic who accompa- ing birth safely in a country that has nied me to the village, suspects that been notorious for being one of the Emma also has TB. most dangerous places in the world Tuberculosis is an airborne dis- to have a baby. ease. So Emma’s baby, who sits beside Sierra Leone is a country that is her is in danger of catching it. And trying hard to change its image of be- Emma’s mother, who was also there, ing a hopeless “basket case”, but the sitting on the rough floor, looks weak challenges are still huge. It certainly — and is already coughing. has some terrible statistics. Among those I dug up before my trip here Isolation were: an average lifespan of about If something is not done to isolate 40 years compared with between 70 and treat these cases, the whole com- A caregiver attending to a patient at Sierra Leone’s only hospice. Picture courtesy: BBC and 80 in rich countries; one of the munity is in danger of early death. highest pregnant mother, and infant, A couple of hours drive away, in complications which cause extreme It is not a hospice in the Western poor country that suffered decades death rates in the world; and extreme the capital Freetown, there is a very bleeding. If this is not treated prop- sense — a place where people can of misrule and military conflict af- shortages of health facilities in rural different scene. In a modest hospital erly, they die,” he says. stay and get permanent end-of-life ter independence. Now, by contrast, areas. maternity ward, Mariama Mansar- A policy of free healthcare for care — but is more like a pain relief it has an elected government that Health ray is sitting in the sunlight that is pregnant women was introduced centre. It is a modest place, and relies is trying, albeit ever-so-slowly, to streaming through an open window. in Sierra Leone two years ago. The on financial help from abroad. change things for the better. But every health worker I met on Mariama would have died in child- government — with help from for- It is the only health facility in Si- In the maternity hospital I meet my trip to Sierra Leone, from junior birth had she not had access to medi- eign governments and aid agencies erra Leone that has a licence to ad- women with healthy, newborn ba- nurses to experienced doctors and cal care. She’s pinning a nappy on her — introduced the measure as a way minister morphine — a drug that is bies. Many are rural women dressed managers, said matters were slowly baby, Sarah. of targeting the biggest killer in the crucial for relieving pain in cases of in the simplest of clothes. They look improving. “My baby was sideways inside me and country, which, ironically, is birth. terminal cancer. as if they are surprised, and in awe, In the village outside Freetown, would not come out,” says Mariama. In the harsh conditions of Sierra that they are here in this modern a 17-year-old boy sits on a broken “I tried the traditional healers Leone, giving birth is a dangerous Efficiency place. plastic chair. Saidu Sankoh has ad- in my village but that did not work. business for mother and baby. “The patients here become our The hospital is modest by inter- vanced TB. Because it was not treat- Then someone told me I could come So, is it making a difference? friends,” says Hannah Ngobeh, the national standards but here the rural ed properly, the wasting disease has here without paying money. So when “Yes, I think it is,” said Gabriel senior nurse in the hospice. She’s a spread from his lungs to his bones. they sent an ambulance, I came and women are seeing, many of them for Madiye, an experienced health ad- big woman, a bustling, efficient pres- the first time, doctors with stetho- Saidu is now virtually immobile. He had my baby. Here she is.” ministrator. “We have evidence that ence, but she is also gentle and re- scopes around their necks. is a bright, articulate boy who learnt Dr Michael Koroma, the senior in recent years the average lifespan assuring towards her patients. And in the hospice I see Hannah to speak good English when he could medical officer at the Princess Chris- has increased from about 40 to “We see the patients every day. still go to school. tian Maternity Hospital, stands next around 42 years.” gently hold the hand of a terminal We go to their houses and get to cancer patient. She then expertly ad- “The pain is so much. It makes to the bed. This would nudge Sierra Leone know their families. They are our my bones ache. I sometimes lie here I ask him what would have happened above several other African and ministers some painkillers. friends,” she says. If I were dying, I think I would crying softly to myself,” he says. if Mariama had stayed in her village. Asian nations in the UN league ta- Hannah pauses. “Then someone But Saidu feels another sort of “She would have died. In many bles for life expectancy. like someone like Hannah Ngobeh tells you your friend has died.” to hold my hand. pain, too. His mother is blind, yet cases in this country, women de- Madiye runs the Shepherd’s Hos- This is certainly an extremely he cannot help her. The other pain liver their babies but then develop pice on the edge of Freetown. — BBC Online Hope for fistula survivors as US leads on management

…By Duncan Mboyah The Bill would also provide sup- The World Health Organisation also triggers stigma and violence both port for fistula repair surgery. Cur- estimates that two million women within families and communities. It n International Women’s rent programs to address fistula and girls are living with untreated fis- places a huge financial burden on al- Day the United States of largely focus on treatment, but much tula and between 50,000 and 100,000 ready poor families and reduces their America congress has in- more needs to be done to reduce the are affected each year, mainly in sub- ability to farm or carry out other in- troduced a bill that would enormous backlog of women need- Saharan Africa and Asia. come-generating activities. helpO end the shame and pain of millions ing repair surgery. The Bill authorises Fistula sufferers are often stigma- Obstetric fistula can be prevented of fistula sufferers around the world. financial support for training fistula tised and ostracized in the commu- by timely access to emergency obstetric The Obstetric Fistula Prevention, surgeons, including “south-to-south” nity they live in. care and the presence of skilled atten- Treatment, Hope, and Dignity Restora- training and learning. Reintegration and rehabilitation dants during pregnancy and childbirth. tion Act of 2011 would require the US According to Ms Agnes Odhiam- programmes to help women return to Family planning information and government to provide comprehensive bo of Human Rights Watch an impor- full and productive lives are, therefore, services also play a key role, includ- assistance to prevent and treat fistula. tant element of the Bill is its strategic central to the Bill. According to Human ing through sexuality education in The proposed law, sponsored by and sustainable approach to reducing Rights Watch these elements are largely schools. These services are weak in Representative Carolyn Maloney, fistula. absent from existing programmes. many resource-poor countries, in- Democrat of New York, would re- Odhiambo notes that the Bill re- “Fistula can only be conquered cluding Kenya. quire the US government to address quires the US government to promote with investments in local expertise Women interviewed note that a key gap in current efforts to reduce coordination among donors, govern- and health systems,” says Odhiambo. they had lived with untreated fistula fistula — preventing the injury in the ments, multilateral institutions, pri- “Fistula strips women She observes that the Bill marks for years because they did not know first place. vate sector as well as non-governmen- an important shift away from treating it is treatable. Many of them lacked This would be achieved through tal and civil society organisations. of their dignity, and fistula like a charity case and into see- money for treatment. In addition, support to programmes that help wom- “Giving birth should not mean liv- ing it as an integral part of maternal there are few competent fistula sur- en get skilled care during pregnancy ing death,” said Odhiambo, who is the makes them outcasts in health care. geons or facilities who can do routine and childbirth as well as after delivery. Africa women’s rights researcher at their own families and Human Rights Watch interviewed fistula surgery. It also would require the US gov- Human Rights Watch. 55 fistula survivors in Kenya in 2009 “Fistula strips women of their ernment to support programmes that Obstetric fistula is a devastating communities.” and 2010, documenting the devastat- dignity, and makes them outcasts in would address the underlying social childbirth injury causing leakage of ing impact of fistula on women’s lives, their own families and communities,” and economic contributors to obstet- urine and faeces from the vagina that – Agnes Odhiambo, as well as the barriers to prevention Odhiambo says. ric fistula such as early marriage and largely afflicts poor, rural and illiter- and treatment. She observes that the Bill holds so a lack of access to education for girls, ate women in developing countries Human Rights Watch Fistula leads to frequent infections, much promise to end the suffering of since adolescents are more prone to who lack access to emergency care or painful genital ulcers, a fetid odour, these women, and call on the US Con- developing fistula. money for repair surgery. infertility and nerve damage. Fistula gress to take a stand for them. 17 Issue Number 16 • April 2011 Widows move from a culture of handouts to self sufficiency …By Gilbert Ochieng were all bereaved, we gave each other support and the group has strengthened and even en- hen Margaret Mugeni, 49, moth- couraged each one of us to work even harder.” er of seven, lost her husband The group members have been able to get who was the sole bread winner relief food from the World Food Programme sixteen years ago, her hopes of (WFP) aimed at providing them with nutri- survivalW became uncertain. tious food for those living with HIV/Aids. The untimely death of her husband, a for- Having embarked on an ambitious project mer Warrant Officer with the Kenya Army in where they keep local poultry and sell to vari- 1994 left her in a very awkward situation she ous hotels and individuals in the region, the was compelled to provide for her children’s ba- members have every reason to wear a smile on sic needs including their education. their faces as they have bid farewell to poverty. Mugeni lived in Busibwabo village, Busia “At the moment, we are undertaking a lo- District. Having not worked before, she thought cal poultry project with a grant of KSh102,000 Members of the Busibwabo Widows and Orphans HIV/Aids Women’s Group with the chicken of a way that would enable her give her children which we received from the Department of a decent living. Agriculture in 2006 under the ‘Njaa Marufu- that they are rearing in a poultry project which has made them self reliant. Pictures: Gilbert Ochieng Together with other widows, Mugeni rea- ku Kenya’ programme,” explains Mugeni. She lised that handouts were not a sufficient way of adds: “Each member was provided with five ing the December festive season, out of the 150 and individual consumers among others. feeding, clothing as well as paying school fees chicken — four hens and a cock.” chicken, she managed to sell 100 cocks each at “We also grow traditional vegetables and for her children. They needed a sustainable av- The project has bailed them out of poverty KSh600. She used the money to complete her finger millet as well as operate a table bank- enue through which they could get a source of and overdependence on handouts from well- brick house which had stalled following her ing system on a merry-go-round where we livelihood. wishers especially politicians who have always husband’s death five years ago. contribute KSh20 per member and share the taken advantage of their situation to manipulate Vulnerable groups cash collected on rotational basis,” explains them for political mileage. Poultry project Mugeni. Mugeni recalls that when her husband These thoughts led to the creation of Busib- The group is in the process of recruiting died, her first born son was just about to join “I took 100 cocks out of the 150 which I sold wabo Widows and Orphans HIV/Aids Women’s more orphans and widows so they can also secondary school. Through the group, she has last December and got a total of KSh60,000 that Group. Initially made up of 17 members — five benefit from the same and be able to improve been able to pay his school fees and he is now enabled me to complete our brick house that men and 12 women, the organisation has grown on their standards of living and be self-reliant. to include 20 members with 16 women and four at Egerton University undertaking a computer had stalled since the death of my husband five However, the biggest challenge facing the men catering for 271 orphaned and vulnerable science course. The other children are in various years ago,” says Margaret Oduori, adding that group is that they have not been spared by children. secondary schools in the province. the project has changed her life a great deal. Mugeni is the chairlady of the community Just like Mugeni, the group’s secretary, Ms “As a group we have no regrets over embark- chicken thieves who have on several occasions based organization. The group was formed in Lillian Vihenda, has been able to educate her ing on the poultry project because there is ready broken into the poultry sheds and stolen their 2003 with the aim of consoling women who lost children, buy them school uniforms and as well market,” says Mugeni. She adds: “We are deter- birds at night. their spouses. as cater for their health needs since her husband mined to achieve a lot out of this project.” “We are appealing to the Department of Ag- “Most of us thought our survival had reached died a few years back. Apart from the local poultry project, the group riculture and well wishers to help us construct a dead end after the demise of our spouses who At the moment the group boasts of 420 local has also embarked on the cultivation of orange strong sheds and ensure the safety of our poul- were the sole breadwinners,” says Mugeni. She poultry at their respective homesteads. One of fleshed potatoes from which they bake chapati, try which are our only source of livelihoods,” adds: “However, by virtue of the fact that we the beneficiaries, ms Margaret Oduori said dur- cakes and buns and sell to the local shop owners they said. Grant changes women’s lives from grass to grace

…By Gilbert Ochieng various income generating interventions. “The grant has enabled the members to undertake various omen form the largest constituency of the world’s income generating activities of their liking that have in the long poor. However, it is known that with a little push, run empowered them economically hence improving on their a woman can make a difference not only in her lifestyle and self-esteem,” explains Aunya. home but to her community. Most of the members have been able to educate their chil- WThis saying has come to pass for the women of Alakara Group dren from their profits. Majority of them had been leading miser- who with a small grant have been able to turn around their lives. able lives, engaging in hand-to-mouth businesses that would not Theirs is a true case of from grass to grace. make ends meet. Alakara is a Teso word for togetherness. Members of the Ala- One of the group’s members, Ms Wilkistah Emodo, a mother kara Women’s Group within Busia County are full of joy following of five, says initially she used to sell sukuma wiki (kale). “This a KSh120,000 grant from the Department of Agriculture, under could not give me adequate income to fend for my family taking a programme known as Njaa Marufuku Kenya. The money was into consideration the fact that my husband is just a casual la- given out in 2006 and they invested in various income generating bourer,” explains Emodo. She adds: “The grant as well as the loan activities. from the group enabled me to invest in the fish business which Alakara was among the 15 community based organizations has brought me a lot of income.” that had benefited from the programme aimed at reducing the high levels of poverty in the region. It was hope that the money Florence Aunya Secretary of Alakara Women’s Group holds Financial matters would empower them to engage themselves in diverse income a packet of flour that the group produces and sells to earn The group is also doing table banking and providing loan fa- generating interventions. income. Picture: Gilbert Ochieng cilities to its members at an interest rate of ten percent. The group’s secretary, Ms Florence Aunya says they have ev- “Our products are in high demand and we also sell them to ery reason to wear a smile on their faces since they have achieved However, with the grant things changed and they diversified local shop owners and traders as well as various open air markets so much. They are now in a position to fend for themselves and to more profit generating products. at KSh50 each,” Aunya explains. Apart from selling the products their families without depending on handouts. “Some of the products the group members are able to produce for profit, they encourage their consumption because the prod- Merry-go-round include porridge flour, pure cassava flour, pure orange fleshed ucts are nutritious not only for the families but even to those who porridge flour, pure finger millet flour and peanut butter,” says are living with HIV. The merry-go-round group was formed in 1998 with a mem- Aunya. So far the group has saved KSh86,000 with a local bank. They bership of 5 men and 10 women. It was registered with the De- The purpose of forming the group was purely to improve the are planning to acquire their own processing machine as well as partment of Social Services the same year. members’ standards of living by empowering them to undertake a motorised chipping machine instead of depending on the one “In 2001, our group was identified by the Department of Ag- that was provided to the Busia Agricultural Training Centre by riculture and the members were trained on how to process and the Kenya Industrial Research Development Institute (KIRDI) . do value addition to cassava and sweet potatoes at the Busia Ag- “In 2001, our group was identified by However, Aunya expresses concern over the high cost of raw ricultural Training Centre (ATC) under the auspices of Kenya the Department of Agriculture and the materials which are quite expensive. Industrial Research Development Institute,” says Aunya. Piracy is also a major challenge to the organisation as some They were also trained on processing of cassava porridge flour, members were trained on how to process groups with ill motives are pirating on their products and hence sweet potato porridge flour and Soya beverage among others. spoiling interfering with the market. Prior to getting the grant, the group was operating a food ki- and do value addition to cassava and The Busia District Agricultural Officer, Mr Samson Khachina osk at Chepkube trading centre along the Busia-Kisumu highway. says the Government is committed to funding the various com- However, from this business they could not generate much profit sweet potatoes.” munity based organisations in the region with an aim of empow- due to the exorbitant cost of foodstuff. — Florence Aunya ering them financially so as to make them self-reliant. 18 Issue Number 16 • April 2011 The ultimate test for a teacher …By Kipkoech Kosonei What options are open to a class- room teacher or educational man- hile the research which ager faced with the daunting task of was recently released handling a weak student? by the Kenya National Many have taken extra tuition as Examinations Council a quick solution to meet this chal- (KNEC)W on the sorry state of early lenge.This otherwise noble intention childhood education in Kenya was an has, however, been abused. indictment on parents, the govern- What with commercialised tu- ment and teachers, the latter carry the ition everywhere that lumps together greatest burden. all kinds of students and uses the The findings showed that 60 per- tried-and-tested lecture methods cent of pupils in Standard Three had only aimed at clearing the syllabus repeated a class and that more than in readiness for the much dreaded half of those interviewed could nei- exams. Little attempt has been made ther read nor write to the required to meaningfully reach out to the slow standard. learner. A demanding educational system Still some educators advise rep- and a society which over emphasises etition or retention as a way of deal- academic excellence put a great deal ing with school under-achievers. of pressure on weak students.There is, Supporters of this method say the therefore, need for teachers to handle students who repeat get their mo- them with patience and understand- rale boosted and regain confidence ing. when they perform better as a result Teachers continue to be blamed of repeating a class. Critics, however, for the poor methods they use in warn that forcing a child to repeat class. They are accused of using tra- can be counter productive in that ditional teaching approaches, which it kills their attitude and embarrass are teacher-centred and learner-in- their parents as well who tend to see timidating. themselves as failures. Indeed many schools have in Underachievers the past been accused of repeating The learners, however, who bear under-achievers and registering only A teacher with students in class. Teachers need to encourage students, and girls in particular instead of discouraging the biggest brunt of this inefficiency, the bright candidates hence dubious- them when they perform poorly. Picture: Kenyan Woman correspondent are the underachievers. How a teach- ly finding themselves in the newspa- er treats these disadvantaged students per headlines for being among the is his/her ultimate test. best schools when national results are released. and Counselling for Schools and Col- It will be instructive to note that leges, say personal guidance should most of the world’s who-is-who start- Some educators advocate routine class promotion irrespective of per- be aimed at assisting students to ac- ed off as apparent failures whose stew- quire necessary emotional stability to Aids candlelight memorial ards — teachers and parents — either formance. Opponents of this practice fear that this would lower standards facilitate academic success. dismissed them as dullards or did not Like some doctors who have been do enough to encourage them. and kill the drive for hard work. set for May 15 There is, therefore, need to bal- accused of treating the disease and Albert Einstein and our own Ali not the patient, some teachers may he Global Health Council (GHC) and the Global Network of People Mazrui easily quickly come to mind. ance between the negative effects of haphazard retention and the gains be knowledgeable in their areas of Living with HIV (GNP+) will hold the international Aids candle light The former is the legendary wizard of specialisation yet remain illiterate in memorial on May 15. Physics and Mathematics who was a that can be made by meaningful re- tention following consultation be- disseminating knowledge with the The event will be hosted by GNP+, which together with GHC will late developer but ended up develop- human touch essential for successful collaborate closely to ensure a seamless transition. ing the much-acclaimed law of rela- tween parents, teachers and the af- T teaching and learning. The Memorial is an advocacy tool and promotes human rights issues with an tivity. fected child. When a student repeats a class, intensive help on specific areas emphasis on access to HIV services for all. Professor Ali Mazrui is a renown Performance This year’s International Aids Candlelight Memorial will be marked in scholar who started off being denied is encouraged. It is not uncommon to hear teach- communities around the world on Sunday, May 15, with the theme “Touching Makerere University College entry for Alongside these measures, the af- ers condemn a class wholesale for its L i v e s”. the dubious reason of being ‘unteach- fected students need to undergo guid- purported poor performance. ‘Form Community-based organisations in some 115 countries will use the event to able’ only to end up a university chan- ance and counselling. Guidance facil- Two is a terrible class. Look at what remember those who have lost their lives to Aids, to support those living with cellor and a globetrotter who at one itates self-discovery and appreciation this boy has written for me!’ Now, the HIV and affected by its impact and to spur calls to action for greater awareness. time taught in five universities across of ones strengths. E. K. Mutie and P. student in question is being anony- “GNP+ is an ideal host for the International Aids Candlelight Memorial, the world. Ndambuki in their book Guidance mously referred to as ‘a boy’ and which since its inception has provided a global platform for people living with Learning process ‘Form Two’. This scenario under- and affected by HIV to reflect on the epidemic’s past and future and advocate It is mind-boggling to scores how teachers give the peda- for change,” said Jeffrey L. Sturchio, Global Health Council President and CEO. It is mind-boggling to imagine gogical principle of individual dif- “We’re pleased to transfer this important grassroots program to Kevin Moody the number of would-have been imagine the number of ference a wide berth. and his colleagues and are confident that under their stewardship the candlelight movers and shakers of history who would-have been movers Another scenario is how teach- programme will build on lessons learned and continue to bring new voices to are now languishing in poverty ers write comments on students’ the fight against HIV/Aids.” and mediocrity because they were and shakers of history report forms. Such general remarks “The Candlelight Memorial increases HIV awareness in local communities not given an opportunity to learn like ‘very good’ and ‘work hard’ do around the world with strong participation of people living with HIV. This en- or were out rightly discouraged by who are now languishing not show individualised attention hanced awareness leads to empowerment for one’s own health, respect for the their teachers and parents as non- given to a learner’s work. Similarly, human rights of people living with HIV and demand and delivery of HIV treat- starters. It will not be strange to find in poverty and mediocrity telling a child with a D ‘very poor’ ment, prevention, care and support,” said Kevin Moody, International Coordi- out that majority of these are women because they were not is not only demoralising, but it does nator and CEO of GNP+. and girls. Yet learners have unique not mean much. Whereas everyone “GNP+ is proud to enable and promote the leadership of grassroots civil strengths, potentials and problems. given an opportunity to knows D is a poor grade, it is only society in the HIV response through the Candlelight Memorial.” Only individualised attention can a concerned teacher that gives hope The International Aids Candlelight Memorial, started in 1983 in the United bring out the best in them. learn or were out rightly and suggests how the learner can States, is the world’s largest grassroots movement against HIV/Aids and one of Through motivation by teachers, a discouraged by their get out of the woods. Individualised the longest running public health campaigns in the world today. weak student will surmount his or her attention of learners shows them Combining a memorial with celebration, the event was created before World willpower to overcome weaknesses teachers and parents as you care and they will reciprocate Aids Day by a small group of people in a display of hope and courage. and improve on his/her strengths. by hard work. Courtesy of Global Health Council non-starters

Executive Director: Rosemary Okello-Orlale Editorial Director: Arthur Okwemba Managing Editor: Jane Godia Sub-Editors: Duncan Mboya, Joyce Chimbi Contributors: Musa Radoli, Kevin Karani, Frank Ouma, Odhiambo Odhiambo, Evelyne Ogutu, Duncan Mboya, Mercy Mumo, Odhiambo Orlale, Karen Allen, Roni Caryn Rabin, Neil The Kenyan Woman is a publication of African This paper is produced with support from Macsarquhar, Naomi Wolf, Claris Ogangah, Fred Okoth, Woman and Child Feature Service Musembi Nzengu, Amelia Thomson-Deveaux, Christinus The United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) E-mail: [email protected] Omar, Mark Doyle, Gilbert Ochieng, Kipkoech Kosonei www.awcfs.org Design & layout: Noel Lumbama and Bernadette Muliru (Noel Creative Media Ltd)