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In collaboration with State Department for Gender (SDfG), Embassy of Finland Nairobi, and the County governments of Baringo Samburu and Mandera, Collaborative Centre for Gender and Development (CCGD) launched the County Action Plan (CAP) for localized Kenya National Action Plan II on Women, Peace and Security for the Advancement of the United Nations Security Council 1325 (UNSCR1325) in the three counties.

The UNSCR 1325 on women, peace and security, which was adopted by the Security Council in 2000, presented a comprehensive political framework within which women’s protection and their role in peace processes can be addressed. UNSCR 1325 is central in supporting women engage in peace processes in meaningful ways.

The development of the Kenya National Action Plan (KNAP) I and II sought to operationalize the implementation of the UNSCR 1325 which is a key milestone that will contribute to the conflict, early warning and peace processes in Kenya. The KNAP calls for increased participation of women in peace processes and peace building.

The KNAP I (2016-2018) sought to contextualize the bases for socio-economic and political inequalities in peace and security issues. After the implementation KNAP I, there was a need for review thus resulting to KNAP II (2020-2024) which is a strategic plan to address the gaps and challenges as well as emphasize on the best shared practices on women, peace and security in Kenya.

While speaking during the launch of Baringo CAP, the Chief Administrative Secretary for Gender, Hon. Dr. Jebii Kilimo praised the commitment CCGD had put in place in localizing the KNAP II which seeks to increase women participation in peace processes.

“I am very pleased today, because I am living my dream of seeing women being included in the peace processes,” said Hon. Jebii.

She said the document would create a platform through which the community can shun the retrogressive cultures as well as the rapid conflict witnessed in Baringo County.

She noted that the document has clearly pointed out the role of women in peace building and conflict resolutions processes. Adding that the document will also be vital tool in the campaign against outlawed cultural practices such as FGM which has been labelled as the root cause to all retrogressive cultures in Baringo County and other counties where the vice is practiced.

She urged CCGD to extend the project to other warring counties as she pledged support for resource mobilization through SDfG.

In Samburu County the launch was presided over by Hon. Julius Leseeto, Deputy Governor Samburu County while in Mandera County in the presence of County Gender Sector Working Group (CGSWG) members, CSOs, Women Champions, Youth, Morans, PWDs and local community in the area.

The localized Samburu CAP will form part of policy on Samburu County accountability on the WPS agenda on matters women and girl’s meaningful participation and leadership in peace processes within the county. Additionally, it will promote women and girls’ rights while shunning violence meted against them, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and traditional practices that oppress them.

In Mandera County the launch was presided over by Issadin Adawa, the County Executive Committee Member Youth, Gender and Social Services.

Collaborative Centre for Gender and Development (CCGD) on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ministry of East African Community and Regional Development and the University of Nairobi through the Women Economic Empowerment Hub (UON WEE Hub) an agreement that will see the three partners work jointly to support cross border traders along the border points.

The agreement will provide a room for collaboration on evidence-based policy advocacy to inform policy implementation, upscaling and graduating of best practices for women, youth, children and persons with Disability (PWDs) economic empowerment in Kenya with focus on cross-border trade.

Speaking during the ceremony, PS. State Department for East African Community, Dr. Kevit Desai said the overall goal of the initiative is to comprehend President Uhuru Kenyatta’s goals of ensuring that there is inter-connectivity with the EAC partner states. This he said will result into improvement of intra-trade that currently stands at 15%.

“This initiative brings about the Ministry of East African Community and Regional Development, University
of Nairobi and Collaborative Centre for Gender and Development and it recognizes the need of facilitating the capacity of women cross border traders through incentives, creation of relationships and building of markets,” said the PS.

The PS added that the partnership will provide the government, private sector organizations, the civil society organizations and the academia with an opportunity to work together and transform the overall development of women, youth, PDWs in the cross-border trade.

Adding that the entry of the University of Nairobi will an added value in the partnership as they will be able to amplify trade through research and education.

Collaborative Centre for Gender and Development Executive Director, Masheti Masinjila, lauded the new
partnership, saying that the MOU agreement is an extremely important meeting point between the policies that are made and the women who have suffered traditional kind of disadvantages.

“This kind of collaboration is going to enhance what these women will practically see an improvement from the policies the government has put in place, the research the University is doing and regional kind of efforts,” said Masheti.

Adding: “The agreement will also look into increasing the accountability of stakeholders who are the people of the East Africa Community.’’

He pointed out that the Treaty establishing EAC, the Common Market Protocols, the Simplified Trade Regime are all very people centered, people friendly and they have huge ambition in terms of participation but stakeholders are the reference points in terms successful implementation.

The University of Nairobi Vice-chancellor, Prof. Stephen Kiama, said the University will work through the Women Economic Empowerment Hub will work with the government and CCGD in addressing the barriers witnessed in trade within the EAC partners states with focus on women cross border traders.

“The Ministry, CCGD and the University are ready to work together to ensure that there is acceleration of trade in the EAC region,” said Prof. Kiama.

He added: “The University of Nairobi will bring the data decision making approach on table.’’

The tripartite agreement which will implemented within a span of three years will see the three institution collaborate in area of research, policy and monitoring and evaluation.

Kenya Gender Budgeting Network which is hosted by Collaborative Centre for Gender and Development with its partners organized the Gender Responsive Budgeting in Kenya Webinar on 9th December 2021 themed; ‘’Implications of national GRB analysis and advocacy activities on the county budget process.’’

The overall is to document the implications of National Budget GRB analysis and advocacy activities on the county budgeting process. With specific objectives being to identify actionable areas of county level GRB advocacy in the 2022/23 budget process and to initiate a coordinated Gender Responsive Budget advocacy at the county level.

Kenya Gender Budget Network (KGBN) is an open membership of stakeholders engaged in gender focused advocacy work to inform programming and budgeting. The network aims to ensure better coordination, voice, and coherence of the civil society and other actors in engaging government and advocating for and monitoring the adoption and practice of Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB).

KGBN aims to harness and synchronize the work of research institutions, academia, international and national partners interested in GRB as well as policy and grassroots Civil society Organizations (CSOs) at the national and county level for effective GRB advocacy. KGBN’s interest in coordinating Gender Responsive Budget actors at the national and county level is to enhance voice, coherence and action with regards to findings on the analysis of 2021/22 budget 2022-23 Sector Working Group reports, and the
2022 BPS. The webinars expected is to development of an action plan for county level GRB advocacy in 2022/23 budget process with the expected outputs being to enhanced gender responsiveness in county budgets as well as to Increased GRB knowledge, awareness and coordination among civil society and the public.

During the forum the budget preparations procedures which begin in July and takes 28 months for the entire budget process to be finalized were discussed.

During the forum the budget preparations procedures which begin in July and takes 28 months for the entire budget process to be finalized were discussed.

A presentation on the budget cycle calendar at county level was presented as well as the budget process.

According to Darmi Jattani, Gender Responsive Budgeting is about ensuring the existing framework puts in place the different needs of people in the county. She added that GRB is a constitutional mandate and should be heavily focused on since the opportunity cost of women missing in contribution to the economy is high.

“Among the gaps that exist at the National level in regards to Gender Responsive Budget is the time spent on unpaid care work which is disproportionately high among women,’’ highlighted Darmi Jattani.

By Oloo Adhiambo and Audrey Adhiambo

Annually, the world comes together to mark the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, an annual International campaign that kicks off 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day. The campaign dubbed 16 Days rallies both state and non-state actors to call for prevention of violence against women and girls. Further, it also seeks to raise awareness on the plight of women and girls, hold governments and other decision makers accountable, and celebrate progress toward gender equality. According to data from World Health Organization (WHO), one in every three, around 736 million women and girls are subjected to physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner or from a non-partner over their lives. The COVID-19 pandemic already underway can best be described by Haroon Rashid’s quote, we fell asleep in one world and woke up in another. With countries imposing new laws such as curfews, lock downs, restricted gatherings, and cessation of movement in a bid to curb the spread of the virus. The measures have resulted into a “shadow pandemic” reports show that the measures have led to a spike of GBV.

This has made it extremely hard for Civil Society Organizations to do their work thereby calling for more innovative ways to address the spike of GBV during the pandemic.

With the world shifting from physical to virtual platforms, the youth are leading efforts and solutions to build a better, safer world for us all, as they have done with many of the world’s most serious crises, including GBV. Around the world, there is a vast network of young advocates who are employing novel strategies to tackle GBV such as Artivism which is a portmanteau word combining art and activism. With the rising popularity of virtual platforms and social media campaigns, the youth are using culture jamming, subverting, street art and murals, paintings, spoken word, plays, satire, fashion, and short videos to reach wider audiences.

These innovative techniques aim to address the core causes of GBV, such as altering attitudes and actions that contribute to gender-based violence and inequity. As a global language that transcends all frontiers, artivism has a broad and international appeal and maybe a strong tool for raising awareness and encouraging action.