gender democracy

Women politicians and journalists have fallen victim of false information, most often through personal attacks meant to discourage them from politics or silence their voices in the media. Studies by AMWIK, ‘Women Journalists’ Digital Security’ in 2016 and 2017 indicate that social media has been the most used platform for attacks against female journalists, with the most common gendered attacks being cyber stalking, sexual harassment, impersonation with parody accounts, surveillance and un-authorized use and manipulation of personal information, including images, and videos. With more women in the public limelight, it is projected that more will become victims of fake news.

In 2016, the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (NGLHRC), the Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya (GALCK), and the Nyanza, Rift Valley and Western Kenya Network (NYARWEK) together with partners filed petitions 150 & 234 of 2016 respectively, at the high court. These petitions challenged the constitutionality of sections 162 (a), (c) and 165 of the Penal Code of Kenya.

Hbs in partnership with African Feminism seeks academic contributions that illustrate the convergence and/or role of patriarchy in the roll-back of democracy in East and Horn of Africa, as well as the role of feminist theory and practice in widening democratic spaces. We encourage African writers from or working across the region to submit abstracts for papers on a topic of their choice relating to the theme.

Gender innovation can be defined as innovations specifically targeted at addressing the roots of gender inequality. Gender inequality is a global phenomenon; different methods have been applied to address the diverse forms of gender inequalities in the world over. Decades of implementations have still not seen an end to gender inequalities more so on gender- based violence and sexual reproductive health related concerns. There is need to fast-track gender equality around the world, we need to shift these trajectories, upend existing dynamics, and pursue game changing interventions.

Article 27.4 of the Kenyan constitution states "The state shall not discriminate directly or indirectly against any person on any ground, including race, sex, pregnancy, marital status, health status, ethnic or social origin, colour, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, dress, language or birth." However, the state and the citizens of Kenya have engaged in the systematic discrimination, stigma and violence against LGBTIQ persons in Kenya.

Image credits Every year approximately 3 million girls undergo female genital mutilation globally according to the statistics by the World Health Organization (WHO). What this essentially means is that parents of more than three million girls allow their daughters to undergo female genital mutilation (FGM) in order to conform to social traditions. Individual families who opt not to have their daughters undergo FGM, risk stigmatization and social exclusion, particularly in communities where the practice is rampant. Globally, it is estimated that around 200 million girls and women alive today have undergone some sort of Female Genital Mutilation.

Image credits On Thursday 22nd March 2018, a three judge bench handed down a ruling in a case appealing the state’s cruel and degrading treatment of two Kenyan men while under arrest in 2015. The men were arrested in Kwale County, on assertion that they were gay.

“I have the privilege of enjoying both private and public health insurance popularly known as National Insurance Health Fund (NHIF), majority here may not have similar options”, this was the moderator’s opening statement. But what does this mean for pregnant women and girls in Kenya? 

Jacinta Victoria talks to Mariamu as she recounts how women like herself have progressively come to ‘have a say’ in Msambweni’s elections, a context where matrilineal organization has historically transformed, while at the same time provides potential space for women to pursue authority over particular social, economic and political relations.