Kenya on course to achieving gender equality, President Uhuru says

President Uhuru Kenyatta said women are a critical national asset with great potential to shape, influence and contribute to all spheres of development. [PSCU]

President Uhuru Kenyatta has said Kenya has put in place a robust policy regime to enable it to achieve gender equality, and empowerment of women and girls.

Speaking during the virtual launch of the Kenyan chapter of Generation Equality Forum at State House, Nairobi, President Kenyatta enumerated various initiatives the Government had put in place to ensure gender equity.

He said women are a critical national asset with great potential to shape, influence and contribute to all spheres of development, and that empowering them strengthens the family, society, and the nation at large.

“When countries respect women rights, promote gender equality, and put women and girls at the centre of their development agenda, their societies and economies thrive, and those benefits extend far into future generations.

“Indeed, women are the pillar upon which society leans. Women are drivers of family health and welfare; they inculcate values and nurture the young, and they exert a powerful influence on intergenerational outcomes for their children” the President said.

He announced Government plans to invest Sh2.3 Billion towards the prevention of gender-based violence and progressively increase the funding to Sh5 billion.

Further, the Head of State said the Government would ratify and implement the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 190 on eliminating Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and harassment in the workplace by 2026.

He said the Government would conduct a survey on GBV under the 2022 Kenya Demographic Health Survey in addition to developing a system for managing the vice.

The President further noted that GBV including medical, legal, and psychological support services would be integrated into the essential minimum package of UHC by 2022.

He said GBV survivors’ fund will be established in partnership with the private sector, civil society and other stakeholders for survivor’s economic empowerment.

While acknowledging the global nature of FGM affecting more than 200 million women, President Kenyatta enumerated achievements made towards tackling the vice in the country among them setting up an aggressive media campaign to end FGM in 22 counties with high prevalence.

“We have allocated USD2 million (Sh200 million) for the implementation of an inter-agency programme on the prevention and response to GBV.

"Equally important to highlight is that cultural and religious leaders from the Borana, Samburu, and Pokot communities have made bold public declarations, to eliminate FGM and child marriage. This includes the 'Kisima declaration; which I witnessed in Samburu in March of this year,” President Kenyatta said.