We are proud that Kenya is known as the Cradle of Mankind, a land of unique and rich natural beauty, a unique splendour which brought almost a million and a half tourists to our country last year.

However, this appellation also speaks to our land which birthed humanity and is a deep and enduring testament to our nation's maternal perspicacity.

Motherhood is a great honor and a privilege that we Kenyan women have carried since time immemorial; birthing our peoplehood, nurturing our culture and building a nation.

Our Bible, in Proverbs, says that "A woman of noble character who can find? She is worth more than rubies." A woman's role, particularly as a mother is a priceless gift.

I would like to pay tribute to all the women of Kenya.

As I travel around the country in my role at "Beyond Zero" I am constantly captivated and inspired by the women I meet who triumph in the delicate balancing act of being a mother and achieving a professional career. In the past, a woman was expected to choose between two disparate roles, as a mother and a woman with a sense of self, independence and autonomy.

At the beginning of Twenty First Century I am delighted that for many we are no longer required to choose. There is still much work to be done to end the remnants of a patriarchal society, the road is long but we will not shy away from the task. The current Cabinet has women in a quarter of its positions, the largest representation in the history of Kenya.

Additionally, this government has passed many laws that assist moving Kenya towards greater gender equity and social protection, including The Victim Protection Act 2014, The Marriage Act 2014, The Matrimonial Property Act 2013, which are now part of the legal instruments that women in Kenya can use to fight against abuse, violence, and general gender-based injustices. These are in addition to other measures to protect women such as free maternal care in all government hospitals.

Moreover, it is my firm belief that by their very nature, women can be expressions of peace and unity, and coalesce our sometimes disparate nation into the beautiful multi-faceted and culturally diverse Republic of Kenya that our fathers and mothers struggled for.

A Kenya into which we are proud to bring our children. Mothers especially have the utmost influence in every society because they bring in to the world, raise and cherish all those who will be our leaders, our defenders and those who keep our society strong and functioning.

Every leader learns their ethics and morality from their mother, and I see this daily in my husband who learnt and still learns how to be strong, humble, trustworthy and compassionate from Mama Ngina.

There is an old African proverb: "If you educate a man you simply educate an individual, but if you educate a woman, you educate a whole nation." This is why we must redouble our efforts to ensure that every Kenyan girl and woman has an equal opportunity to aspire to greatness. No woman must be left behind due to her geographic, ethnic or socio-economic background; all must have the chance of a further education if they seek it.

I am delighted that for the first time in the history of Kenya, every single student who matriculated received a place at a university. I am also delighted that more than 50 per cent of those taking Masters and PhDs in Kenya are women. This shows how much progress has been made in the last few years, and I believe Kenya is much the better for it.

Two years ago, I was proud to represent Kenya at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, where we were one of the government's that have committed themselves in a declaration to achieve gender equality by 2030.

Our new Constitution, Vision 2030 and the public procurement Affirmative Action‎ policy for women, are in line with the 12 key issues of concern in the declaration.

Let us reaffirm and rededicate ourselves to giving thanks and expressing gratitude to those who gave us life, but let us also as women and mothers strive to insist on our place and role in society.

The more we achieve today, the less of a burden will be placed on our daughters, the mothers of tomorrow. They are the flagbearers of tomorrow and the sentinels of our beautiful Cradle of Mankind.

Mrs Kenyatta is the First Lady