THE CONCEPT
INTRODUCTION
This is an Initiative of Interlink Care, a not for profit NGO in Kenya with vast wealth of experience working with diverse communities in leadership fronts who are engaging the men constituency to bring their stone to help build, encourage, support, strengthen, accelerate and sustain the course of the women to competitively join leadership and decision making positions as guaranteed in the gender inclusive agenda of the New Constitution, The Millennium Development Goals and Vision 2030.
Men for Women Initiative aims at objectively fostering deliberate incorporation, involvement and ownership of the women leadership agenda promotion among men. It is based on the realization that while the benefits of the women inclusion in leadership cannot be overemphasized, the role of men as prime agents of change has been missing and if consciously and objectively harnessed can be instrumental in fast tracking this assured women cause from the projected one-third to 50-50 representation competitively realized in elective and appointed position.
It is a call from men for more conscious contribution of men towards accelerating the ongoing effort of competent women inclusion in leadership and decision making fronts as “no tool for development is more effective than empowerment of women” said the former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.
The guiding reflection for this Initiative’s Conversation being cascaded in all the Counties is ‘from paper to reality’. This is with reference to the role of ‘We the people’ in regard to the implementation context of the gender provisions in the new constitution.
The guiding reflection for this Initiative’s Conversation being cascaded in all the Counties is ‘from paper to reality’. This is with reference to the role of ‘We the people’ in regard to the implementation context of the gender provisions in the new constitution.
BACKGROUND
International agreements and conventions have persistently stressed on the importance of women’s equal participation in political leadership. The 1995 Beijing Platform for Action, for example, emphasized that ‘women’s equal participation in decision making is not only a demand for justice or democracy, but can also be seen as a necessary condition for women’s interests to be taken into account. Without the perspective of women at all levels of decision making, the goals of equality, development and peace cannot be achieved.’ The Platform defined two strategic objectives: (i) to ensure women’s equal access to and full participation in all power structures and decision making; and (ii) to increase women’s capacity to participate in decision making and leadership. Similarly, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), in Article 7, called upon state parties ‘to take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the political and public life of the country.’ In addition, the UN Security Council’s Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security also reaffirmed the importance of equal participation and full involvement of women in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security, and the need to increase women’s role in decision making.
Women in this country have consistently agitated for the equality inclusion and empowerment. Over the years ,robust women movement and forums led by the academics, civil society activists, politicians and the lobby groups have been extremely vocal about issues such as democratization, women rights and freedoms ,women’s participation in leadership and governance affairs among other pertinent representational concerns of women. The voice of women has been too loud to be ignored. Various ratifications , conventions, recommendations, declarations, frame works, protocols ,affirmative actions, researches and way forwards have been charted by countless governments, women movements and policy makers across Africa .These efforts have been cascaded to the lowest levels with conscious and directional women empowerment discourse taking place in churches, women’s cells, women groups and “Chamas”, women seminars and work shops ,women magazines and books as well as women blogs and interactive social medias. In March this year, women celebrated their 100th International Women Day.
Credit goes to all the women,ordinary or otherwise,who refused to let up and have relentlessly chosen to be part of this pain staking efforts to raise this consciousness among their fellow women and men without which the gains so far realized would be but a mirage.
RATIONALE
The guaranteed and assured provisions on gender representation among other women’s rights now entrenched in the new constitution of this land are courtesy of these unstoppable voices, sheer hard work and dearly paid price of many women over many years. However, despite huge investment in the above efforts ,coupled by the renewed pace set by giving unto ourselves the new constitution, the provisions operationalization is increasingly under real threat with many obstacles, perceived and real, psychological and actual, institutional and policy, already on the way of the realization and implementation of the one-third gender representation constitutional requirement.
A perception that this is a far-fetched dream which is almost impossible to be achieved is slowly gaining grounds. This is not surprising given that anywhere in the world of humanity, effecting change has most of the time been an uphill task. Consequently, this has given gravitas to the long held combative nature of the approach of the debate surrounding women and leadership with many taking full advantage to enhance their well rehearsed gender rhetorics.
While significant strides have been made on the path towards gender equity, great challenges remain. Historically, men still retain a near absolute hold on power throughout society. Leadership has been, and largely remains exclusively the domain of men in many African countries’ governments, the private sectors, civil society and the family unit. This has left the women as the single largest untapped pool of human potential in the world. However, this has not negated the fact that there have been ample examples of great governments and countless self-made and courageous women who have stood out and challenged the status quo. There are unlimited role models with great influence among them in Kenya and around the world .The Kenyan Nobel Laureate late Prof. Wangari Mathaai, Mother Teresa, Oprah Winfrey, Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar, Hillary Clinton,The Presidents of Argentina, Brazil and Liberia just to mention a few.
Countries like Finland, Norway, Switzerland, South Africa and Rwanda are at the helm with the highest number of women representation in their governments in the world. In fact, some African countries have already attained the critical mass threshold of 33 per cent women’s representation in decision making.
KENYA IN CONTEXT
Over the past decade, and with the efforts to achieve integration in East Africa at its peak, all the countries in the East African region have overtaken Kenya on all measures of gender equality indices. In particular, Rwanda has rapidly recovered from genocide to become the leading country in the region and the world on its gender parity index, currently standing at 56.1 per cent women parliamentary representation. Uganda and Tanzania are also on the lead in global statistics on women’s representation in elective politics at 31 and 30 per cent, respectively. What have these countries done to achieve this inclusive reality? Have the hitherto outstanding work of women leaders gotten into the public domain and is it being celebrated or vilified and by who?
Despite having adopted one of the most progressive constitutions in the world and with much global advances being made towards the recognition of the principle of women’s political, economic and social equality, in Kenya, women continue to be marginalized and peripheralized in many areas of society, especially in the sphere of leadership and decision making. According to a 2009 survey by the Ministry of Gender, only 30.9 per cent of those employed in Kenya’s public service are women, 72 per cent of who are in the lower cadres. This same inequity exists in the judiciary, in the leadership of political parties, and in political fronts. Women hold only about 10 per cent of the seats in the 10th Parliament, trailing far behind the global average of 18.8 per cent women representation in parliaments.
The public appointment trends currently going on in various government bodies send an alarming signal if the number of the applications being received from women is any thing to go by. A number of commissions have had to extend or re-advertise the application period of some key decision making positions since the received applications from the women have made it difficult to achieve the one-third gender compliance thresh hold. Kamau (2002) researched on “The Status of Women in Higher Education Management” and found that issues of gender and management indicates that men tend to be much more purposeful about planning their careers and lobbying, while women tend to shy from the same.
Are women fully equipped to compete for these positions of leadership and maximize on the opportunities spelt out in the constitution? Do they have the required competencies and critical mass to catapult them to these positions? If yes, why such scenarios? If no, who is not equipping them? What could be the underlying causes? Why are women not readily coming out for these key decision making positions? Would women bring a different perspective into elective and appointed positions? Are men playing any part in slowing down these guaranteed reforms? Do men have a role to play in women’s push for leadership? If yes, what is the men‘s role in encouraging women to come out and compete for both elective and appointed positions?
The World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick rightly said “It goes beyond a matter of fairness and decency. It makes no economic sense to lose out on energy, creativity and dynamism of half of the world’s population”. Is out societal view cognizant of this gender imbalance in representation as untapped energy, creativity and dynamisms? What is the man’s view of an empowered woman in a position of influence? What informs the men's views, perceptions, experiences and aspirations in relation to women leadership? While there is progressive increase in awareness among women on the women constitutional rights and provisions, with policies and institutional frameworks that are pragmatically progressing and furthering the women’s cause, did we carry the men with us or are they still with hangovers of the past conservative, static, traditional, masculine and patriarchal mindset? Are men aware of these provisions? Who is best placed to answer the above fundamental questions?
In addressing the impediments to empowering and propelling more women into leadership and decision making positions in Kenya and around Africa, it requires understanding and appreciating the sources and the scope of historical subjugations directed towards them. It is about the collective and determined inputs of governments, the private sector, civil society, community and ordinary citizenry of both men and women. It is about sustained political will of those in power and greater commitment of implementing the guaranteed gender reforms.
Kenya is deeply religious and inherently a cultural country. The role of religion and culture in defining a woman’s and a man’s position in leadership cast a strong influence that informs how women and men view themselves in relation to leadership. Further, vices like rape, child molestation and trafficking, violence against women ,ignorance retrogressive cultures such as FGMs, cattle rustling,wife inheritance, early and forced marriages, child labour ,wage exploitation, electoral violence ,HIV/AIDS are but among the fatal practices and pandemics that are continuously eroding the dignity and self-esteem of the ordinary woman, subsequently shaping her low opinion towards her self-emancipation. How do we minimize this conflict while effecting gender provisions requirements as enacted in the new constitution vis a vis the protection of cultural and religious values strongly held by our societies and which are largely patriarchal and yet are protected in the same constitution? What cultural and religious values are retrogressive? Who defines the extent of retrogressiveness and with what criteria? Could women leadership cause be dependent on men? Whereas women emancipation has a lot to do with men, are women owed any leadership position by men? Are men playing their role effectively? If yes, to what extent?
BRIDGING THE GAP
Needless to emphasize, the constitution of Kenya has made a major step toward ensuring gender equity in major decision making organs at different levels of leadership and governance. Valid calls by diverse women rights crusaders and scholars for our government to establish Gender Commission as an assurance that gender equality and equity concerns are being addressed as well as providing leadership on issues of gender are being made.
Over the years, women have been talking to women about men in leadership. More women are also talking with women about women leadership. Further, men are talking to women about men in leadership. However, fewer men are talking with men about the possibility of sound and competitive women leadership. This is what Interlink Care is addressing, cognizant that women movements in Kenya need men. We are complementing the tireless efforts being put by women movements through creating and reaching out for the missing link, by having men, too, owning and championing the cause of women leadership among their fellow men, from the lowest to the highest levels.
Interlink Care is mobilizing a critical mass of men in leadership positions to support the cause of gender equity, equality and justice for women , whose effect will catalyze the achievement of this cause. Men for Women Initiative therefore envisions to achieve a country where 50-50 gender representation among men and women in leadership and decision making position will be competitively realized.
This progress is ambitious but possible. It can be achieved through among others, creation of strategic partnership and involvement of like minded organizations, groups, civil society, the media, community elders, individuals, stakeholders in government and non-governmental bodies who are willing to share in this cause. Indeed, there is a dire need to consciously initiate more inclusive space for men to support the women leadership quest. Many men want to be involved but have not been asked to join or don’t know how to get involved. This is their platform.
1.1 ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND
Interlink Care is a not for profit non–governmental organization that was registered in 2001 with the following principal objectives.
Ø To advance and promote the course of humanity particularly for those persons who are disadvantaged, needy or poor, persons who are sick, injured, in distress or difficulty, and the persons who are vulnerable and underprivileged.
Ø To empower communities, societal groups and individual’s with moral, material intellectual and social skills and abilities to enable them live, participate and contribute effectively towards their own development and that of their society and nation at large.
Ø To develop, support and implement societal networks, processes and structures for partnerships amongst various sectoral actors for effective delivery of their services to the people.
Ø To strive towards the respect, preservation and deriving of optimum benefits from the cultural heritage including the environment, peoples culture and civilizations.
In order to achieve these, Interlink Care seeks to achieve the specific objectives which include establishing organizational polices, organs, programmes, and mechanisms that will deliberately seek to recognize and mainstream issues and concerns of the vulnerable and the marginalized members of the society specifically persons who are challenged by the lack of natural ability, the children, women, youth, aged and minorities of all the types. Interlink Care also commissions or/and conducts studies, surveys and researches as to the causes of social imbalances and thereafter seek credible solution based on facts from the research findings.
The organization also develops and implements organizational policy and programmes on gender in order to mainstream equitable participation of women and men in organization activities and society at large. The effective programmes that are established, are aimed at addressing the problems affecting the communities in Kenya. In particular, the organization focuses on alleviation and eradication of extreme poverty amongst communities, combating HIV/AIDS pandemic particularly with the emphasis towards direct or indirect impact on children, youth and women while enhancing access to quality formal and informal education amongst children and the youth to prepare them to be independent, responsible and self reliant citizens among others.
1.2 MEN FOR WOMEN INITIATIVE
MEN FOR WOMEN INITIATIVE is a programme under Interlink Care that seeks to create a forum and a good platform for men to discuss, converse, debate and talk about women and leadership in Kenya. Men for Women Initiative is thus a forum that seek to bring men together, with or without the presence of women, to analyze the position of women in leadership and to champion the cause of women to competitively join leadership positions.
1.3 Statement of the Problem and Justification
Since independence, very few women in Kenya have been able to clinch the top positions in leadership. Others have taken a lot of time to excel in male dominated careers. Indeed, the journey has not been any easier in their quest to competitively achieve these positions due to immense barriers including Traditional ,Cultural ,Economic ,Political Social ,Historical, Biological, Gender, Spiritual ,Religious, Self inflicting, Own Enemy among other barriers.
The new constitution of Kenya stipulates that at least 1/3 of the appointed and electoral bodies’ positions should be of either gender. However, Kenya may face a constitutional crisis if efforts to achieve these guaranteed provisions are not enhanced by all stakeholders. While a gender top-up nomination option is being explored in all the elective positions in Kenya, this may lead to bloated and unsustainable overhead costs, with devastating economic consequences. Further, it may increase the possibility of inclusion of incompetent persons in leadership. This has been exacerbated by the reluctance of key stakeholders and interest groups especially among men to spearhead this vital cause due to polarized implementation environment.
2.1 Existing Gap
The women movements have made significant strides in recent years by harnessing the women potential. Many women are breaking the long held barriers and occupying challenging leadership positions. However, while meaningful gains are being realized, the pace can be accelerated by conscious initiation of more space for men to support the women’s movement.
Currently,
i. Women are talking to Women about Men in leadership,
ii. More women are talking with women about women leadership-In Churches, Chamas, Seminars , Social Groups, etc
iii. Men are talking to Women about Men in leadership, BUT,
iv. Fewer Men are talking to Men about the possibility of Sound and Competitive Women Leadership
Men for Women Initiative are cognizant that Women Movement in Kenya needs Men. Deliberate awareness creation focusing on the role of men as prime agents of change needs to be up scaled. Many men want to be involved, but haven’t been asked to join or don’t know how to get involved.
Resources Required
This is an ambitious mission and noble undertaking whose success involves concerted efforts and support of all stakeholders in terms of ideas, platforms for discussions, with high level of deliberate and passionate engagement to this grand cause. This programme also requires support in terms of resources among them, financial, human, tools, equipment, communication, transport, awareness creation amongst others.
Conclusion
Interlink Care welcomes every form of contribution and appeals to all the stakeholders to join hands. Let us come together and invest in harnessing the largely untapped women’s potential and contribution in order to make this world a more secure, peaceful, food sufficient, greener,sustainably developed and a better place for all of us to live in.
Support Men for Women Initiative.
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