Kenyan Woman MARCH 8, 2014 Kenyan Woman
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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY KENYAN WOMAN MARCH 8, 2014 KENYAN WOMAN SPECIAL ISSUEInspiring Change INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY | MARCH 8, 2014 Women walking back to their homes in Gumuruk, Pibor County, Jonglei State. PICTURE: PLAN INTERNATIONAL KENYAN WOMAN INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY KENYAN WOMAN 2 MARCH 8, 2014 MARCH 8, 2014 3 Another key intervention includes the Road to equality 30 percent affirmative action for women and youth to access procurement Road to equality remains bumpy for Kenyan women remains bumpy tenders advertised by the government. of Constitutional commissions, six Challenges Despite the percent of parastatal heads, 13 per for Kenyan cent of county secretaries and 21 per Sadly, however, although the country’s cent of county assembly clerks. women Government recently said all maternity services in public hospitals will be progressive and free, the Kenya Position Paper for the In class: Framework << from page 2 because ideally, they 58th Session on the Commission on Kenya makes gender sensitive As we seek meaning today around should be similar to the Status of Women says the Kenya what this day signifies, there is need those of elected members. significant Demographic Health Survey report gains in constitution, to fully operationalise the Constitution Her sentiments are echoed by Prof does not paint a good picture. It notes and enact laws that seek to ensure Wanjiku Kabira who notes that education as that while in 2003 there 414 deaths gender equality gender equity in major decision making affirmative action clause is a critical scores of girls per 100,000, this increased to 488 in organs. component towards the realisation of enrol in school. 2008. However, it is hoped that things PICTURE: FILE remains elusive Lichuma says that the realization of the two thirds gender rule. will improve with the interventions the substantive equality is proving rather Government has made since 2013 on “Women have always lobbied heavily the maternal and neonatal road map, even as MDGs challenging and hence the need to and helped to draft the new Constitution develop a strong legal framework that including the free maternity services in which has entrenched the affirmative public hospitals. come to a close binds everyone. action clause and guaranteed an Lichuma cites the recent appointments additional 47 seats for women in the “The national maternal mortality ratio in 2015 of parastatal chiefs by President Uhuru counties without which the numbers Counting in the gender agenda which was 590 per 100,000 live births Kenyatta that saw only two women in the National assembly would be in 1999 declined to 414 per 100,000 BY FAITH MUIRURI appointed as heads of parastatals out wanting,” notes Kabira. BY JANE GODIA the paper Kenya will be presenting education. “This process has been live births in 2003 then slightly went up was prepared through participatory made possible by the Government to 488 in 2008/2009 indicating that the of the 38 positions. In addition, the Constitution has created ven as we mark the process and is owned by the steering putting in place free secondary Millennium Development Goal target of a framework of law that responds in a s Kenyans mark the She says that a technical team has International Women’s committee that included government, school day education,” he explained. 147 per 100,000 live births is yet to be very direct and unequivocal manner International Women’s been established by NGEC to come up Day today, Kenya will be civil society and UN agencies. “However, there are disparities as met. The proportion of births attended to the age-old discrimination against Day, time is fast racing with a framework on how the two thirds Estanding tall in a few days’ time as we go higher in tertiary colleges and to by skilled personnel was at 42.3 per women in Kenya. Mangiti noted that there is a lot of Aagainst the country’s bid to bridge gender rule is to be realised. it presents its position paper at the university education.” cent in 2011 falling short of the 90 per interest in the CSW but unfortunately glaring gender inequalities and Further, the Constitution contemplates 58th Session of the Commission cent target,” notes the report. She explains that the framework there are not enough funds to take The Kenya position paper also notes the passage of various pieces of on the Status of Women scheduled empower women ahead of the 2015 emanates from Article 27 (8) which everybody to New York. “We have not that women have made significant The Position Paper notes that to ensure legislation to flesh out some of the rights to start on March 10 to March 21. Millennium Development Goals states that the State shall take been able to accommodate everyone strides in developing their careers that the reproductive health strategies it provides for. These include legislation (MDGs) deadline. legislative and other measures to In highlighting its success, Kenya due to financial constraints,” he within the civil service. are focused towards achieving the on citizenship, culture, leadership and The level of women representation implement the principle that not more will be represented by a high explained. MDGs, the Government of Kenya has representation of marginalised groups. It notes that in 2007 the Government in the country is still very low and than two thirds of the members of powered delegation that will include revised and aligned various national There will be a joint side event with put in place a policy requiring all public with the apparent push by African elective or appointive bodies shall be Most of these pieces of legislation have a government delegation led by policy documents including the the first will be kicked off by Anne institutions reserve 30 per cent of all countries for integration of the aspect of the same gender. not received any significant attention. the Cabinet Secretary Ministry of National Reproductive Health Strategy Waiguru, Cabinet Secretary Ministry new appointments and promotions of gender equality in the post-2015 Further, for them to affect women Devolution and Planning, Anne 2009-2015, The Reproductive Health “The team has been tasked to review of Devolution and Planning who for women. As a result the number development agenda, Kenyans will there is need to ensure that they are in Waiguru which also houses the Communication Strategy 2010-2012 Martha Karua addresses a campaign all proposals towards the realisation of will give an overview of the event. of women has been increasing from need to build on the foundations laid by Article 29 (c).The State has also been consonance with the Constitution. Gender Directorate. Other officials and the National Family Planning rally prior to the 2013 General Elections the two thirds gender rule while at the This will be followed by a panel (32.4 per cent) 2008 to (38 per cent) the Constitution. limited in terms of discriminating any will come from various ministries Guidelines. during which she contested and lost same time collating views from experts discussion led by Government, in 2012. person on any ground such as race, and Kenyans,” Lichuma explains including the Ministry of Education The Constitution has created a legal the presidential polls. Scores of women Vigilance civil society, National Gender and sex under Article 27 (5). which will be represented by the Interventions framework that clearly addresses like her are willing to take on political She notes that the technical committee According to Daisy Amdany, chairperson Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang. Equality Commission, Kenya Women In Article 27 (6), the State is charged Gaps gender inequality with women-specific leadership but the society has not been will first define timelines within which Women’s Political Alliance, women, They will be joined by members of Parliamentary Association and the The Kenya Position Paper also notes to take legislative measures such However, placement of women in interventions such as affirmative as receptive. PICTURE: KENYAN WOMAN the two thirds gender principle is to be their representatives and civil society civil society and UN agencies. Anti-Female Genital Mutilation Board. that a Health Sector Gender Policy is as affirmative action programmes senior decision making positions in action and numerical quotas in public CORRESPONDENT attained as the Supreme Court ruling did organisations must guard against the It will be an interactive session also in the process of being developed and policies designed to redress any Addressing the various stakeholders the public service remains tilted in institutions thus recognising the not delve into timelines as suggested by risk of dilution of the rights enshrined and a demonstration by Kenya on as a framework to address the critical disadvantages suffered by individuals during a pre-CSW session at favour of men. Women’s employment insufficiency of bare formal equality. Commission on Administrative Justice. in the basic law by the expected how joint collaboration between roles that health determinants such as or groups because of past systematic Critics have argued that it is unfair for Treasury building, Engineer Peter remains either within the traditional Article 10 (2) of the Constitution sets legislations. the Government and Civil Society social and cultural factors as well as discrimination. women to have dedicated electoral “What the court said is that the Mangiti, Principal Secretary Ministry female occupations or within the out national values and principles of has worked well in delivering the power relations between women and posts, but despite these affirmative framework has to be created by August In addition there are many statutes that of Devolution and Planning noted domestic and farming sectors all too governance which include participation The Constitution of Kenya has also Millennium Development Goals men play in promoting, accessing and action measures, the guaranteed 47 2015 and the technical team can either are clearly contrary to the spirit and that even though the focus of the often as casual/unskilled workers.