Women defenders call for intergenerational conversation

People take part in a demonstration in Nairobi, Kenya, on June 17, 2025, following the death of blogger Albert Ojwang while in police custody. Demonstrators demanded justice and accountability, chanting slogans and denouncing police brutality.[AFP]

 The Executive Director of the Women Human Rights Defender Hub, Salome Nduta, has underscored the need for intergenerational conversations among human rights defenders, saying such engagements are key to strengthening solidarity and deepening understanding within the movement.

Nduta said that open dialogue between different age groups helps unpack the unique paths and challenges each cohort faces, while also highlighting the strategies they use to overcome them.

She spoke in Nakuru County during the commemoration of International Human Rights Day, where she encouraged human rights defenders to recognise that the work they undertake daily enables individuals and communities to live dignified and fulfilling lives.

Nduta noted that sustained intergenerational conversations would help strengthen the women’s human rights network in Nakuru, preventing divisions and encouraging greater collaboration.

“The conversation will help ensure that advocacy remains effective in Nakuru, and it will enable them to share with us data on the human rights issues they are tackling and who supports them,” she said.

She further urged women human rights defenders to document both their struggles and successes, noting that capturing these experiences is critical for learning and building resilience.

“We encourage them to tell both the sad story when you face a challenge, and the successful story when you receive support and achieve what you set out to do as a defender,” she said.

Nduta also challenged human rights defenders to confront the obstacles that hinder their work, reminding them that human rights are a collective responsibility.

“We are called upon as human beings to engage in this discourse called human rights. It’s not a matter for activists alone. Look at yourself as a human being,” she said.

She called on Kenyans not to remain silent when things go wrong, but to speak out and support women who raise their voices against injustices.

Nurat Wamaya, a young woman human rights defender from Nakuru, said the day served as a reminder of the renewed commitment required to promote and uphold human rights.

“As a young woman, I’m reminded that we need to continue spreading hope so that people can keep upholding their human rights,” she said.

Wamaya added that digital violence remains a growing threat, calling for decisive action against perpetrators.