Statment on Advancement of Women
October 15, 2007
Mr. Chairman,
We thank you for continuing to Chair this Committee and assure you of our continued support to the successful completion of our deliberations.
My delegation wishes to align itself with the statement made by the representative of Pakistan on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.
Kenya has remained consistent in her commitment to the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the recommendations of the 23rd Special Session of the General Assembly.
We are cognizant that women are critical agents of change in development and that investment in women and girls creates a multiplier effect that enriches and accelerates the amelioration of the status of society as a whole.
The reports of the Secretary-General have demonstrated the linkages between gender inequality and poverty and between poverty, and discrimination and violence against women. In her efforts to achieve economic and social transformation, Kenya has taken measures to break down this vicious cycle.
Any serious effort to eliminate bias against women must entail change in the attitude of society. Kenya has embarked on a systematic process to re-engineer social attitudes to gender equality through political, legislative, administrative and policy measures, and interventions aimed at mainstreaming gender perspectives in all aspects of our national life.
The process to comprehensively review our constitution has provided a unique opportunity to entrench gender equality in our basic law to facilitate more equitable and representative participation of women at all levels of our democratic national governance.
Mr. Chairman,
In recognition of the need for strong and effective institutional mechanisms to ensure the mainstreaming of gender issues, Kenya established the Ministry of Gender, Sports, Culture and Social services to spearhead this endeavour.
We have also established by an Act of Parliament a National Commission on Gender and Development to oversee implementation of the National Policy on Gender and Development which establishes a framework for the advancement of women in the political, social, economic and cultural arenas. A Plan of Action to operationalize the policy has also been finalized. Gender officers at senior levels have been appointed in Government Ministries and Parastatal bodies to ensure the integration of gender perspectives in the design, development, implementation and evaluation of all development policies and programmes. Additionally, through legislative measures, provisions have been made for women’s rights organizations to nominate women representatives for appointment as members of various Commissions and Boards.
The Constituency Development Fund Act requires that women constitute one-third of the Fund’s management committees. Through an Executive Directive by the President, one-third of all new appointments in the public service have been reserved for women.
Mr. Chairman,
Kenya abhors violence against women in all its manifestations. Violence not only abrogates the human rights of its victims but also robs them of their sense of dignity and self-worth and circumscribes their capacity for self-improvement. A society in which violence against women is tolerated cannot optimize its potential for development. Kenya is therefore, committed to the eradication of all forms of violence against women and has strengthened and expanded the legal regime in this regard. The enactment of the Sexual Offences Act 2006 resulted in the elaboration of sexual offences and enhancement of the sentences for rape and defilement. The Children Act 2001 outlawed female genital mutilation, and child marriages. The Public Officer Ethics Act 2003 prohibits sexual harassment in the work place while the domestic violence (Family Protection) Bill has been drafted and introduced in Parliament.
As regards Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), the Government, the Civil Society and Non-Governmental Organizations have been engaged in educating and raising awareness on the dangers of FGM. Administratively, the Provincial Administration has been mobilized to stamp out the practices of female genital mutilation and early childhood marriages in communities where the practices are prevalent.
A gender specific police station has been established in the capital city of Nairobi to attend to reports of women and children victims of violence and gender desks have been established in police stations through out the country. Law Enforcement Officers have also been trained in gender and human rights issues.
With respect to trafficking a special anti-trafficking police unit has been set up and given appropriate training to deal with the issue.
Mr. Chairman,
It is imperative for women to have equitable access to productive resources if they are to play their due role in development. In Kenya, 80% of women live in the rural areas and comprise 70% of all employees in the agricultural sector. Due to customary practices, ownership of land, the most crucial economic resource is almost exclusively vested in men. A draft national land policy has been finalized and among its recommendations is that, all laws, regulations, customs and practices which discriminate against women in land ownership be outlawed.
The government has established a Women’s Enterprise Fund and allocated KShs.2 billion in the current financial year to provide accessible credit to women entrepreneurs.
Young women under 35 years also have access to credit under the Youth Enterprise Fund established by the Government last year. Under the Co-operative Societies Act, all co-operative societies are required to reserve one–third membership of their management committees for women.
Mr. Chairman,
Kenya continues to address the multiple barriers affecting the education of the girl-child while at the same time fostering gender equality in access to education. The introduction by the Government of the universal free primary education in 2003 has resulted in near parity in enrollment of boys and girls in primary schools. In 2006, enrollment at primary school stood at 51.1% for boys and 48.9% for girls.
From next year, the Government has abolished tuition fees in secondary schools and this initiative is expected to result in an improved rate of transition from primary to secondary schools and the number of girls completing secondary school education. Affirmative action has also been applied to admit girls to public universities at one grade point less than boys.
In rural areas, health services accessibility has been improved through construction, staffing and provision of equipment to over one thousand health centers. There is also improved accessibility to tap water and rural electrification connectivity at greatly reduced costs. These measures are expected to result in the reduction of the burden of domestic work for women and allow them more time to pursue income generating activities, and for girls to pursue education.
Mr. Chairman,
In conclusion, I wish to reiterate Kenya’s commitment to the advancement of women and to the achievement of gender parity in all aspects of life. The Government will continue to work with the international community, the civil society, community-based organizations in the pursuit of justice, peace and development for all.
I Thank You!
