Gender and Democratic Change

Grassroots advocacy is not just a strategy; it is a necessity. This time, we took the discussion to Kwale County, where cultural norms, economic hardship, and systemic gaps converge to fuel gender-based violence (GBV). For urgent action, the most effective and sustainable change must come from within the community itself.

Kabarak University and Heinrich Boell Foundation published a book dubbed “Decentralisation and inclusion in Kenya: From pre-colonial times to the first decade of devolution”. The publication is a result of a research that evaluated the first era of devolution (2012 – 2022). The critical focus on devolution and its impact on minority groups.

More often than not, sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) is perceived to only happen in homes, communities and places of work. One would never imagine that SGBV also occurs in institutions of higher learning. Where the safety of students is imagined to be a given responsibility of the institutions themselves. Universities are increasingly now becoming breeding grounds for perpetuators of SGBV, preying especially on young women. Worse still for young women seeking student leadership.

In the months of July and August, Senegal and Kenya will hold their general elections. However, the big question remains: Where do Senegalese and Kenyan women stand on their quest to parliamentary mandates and political offices?