The Government has reiterated its commitment to enhancing opportunities and capacity for women and other vulnerable groups to participate in national development and reinforce evidence-based decision-making on gender issues.
Secretary of Administration at the State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action Moses Ivuto noted that the government had launched the 2023-2027 plan that seeks to undertake the constitutional mandate of advancing gender equality, non-discrimination, and empowerment of all women and girls.
Ivuto noted that the gender sector will play a crucial role to ensure achievement of aspiration and various interventions in Kenya Vision 2030.
The secretary made the remarks in Nakuru during a meeting with Deputy Governor Dr David Kones to finalize preparations for the upcoming International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrations slated for March 8 that will be hosted by the devolved unit.
This year’s global theme is “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls,”
The official said that Kenya’s prosperity and stability depended on unlocking the full potential of women and girls, and assured that the government would continue prioritizing their inclusion.
While noting that no country could prosper sustainably when it excludes more than half of its population, the official said women’s empowerment was not just a human right, but was good governance, good security, and the foundation of a healthy society.
Mr Ivuto stressed that deliberate action was required to ensure women were fully engaged in new and emerging spaces and assured that the government had put in place a robust policy regime to enable it achieve gender equality and empowerment of women and girls.
Nakuru deputy governor Dr David Kones reaffirmed the county’s commitment to gender equality, noting that Nakuru under the leadership of Governor Susan Kihika, continues to be a champion of inclusive policies that empower women in leadership, business, and community development.
He urged employers both in the public and private sector to conduct regular gender audits to improve equity in the workplaces and identify gender disparities in policies, practices, and organizational culture.
The Deputy Governor reaffirmed that equality and empowerment of all employees at workstations were essential components of human development and basic human rights and called for greater visibility, professionalism and value-based leadership for all workers.
While indicating that demonstrating a commitment to gender equality through gender audits would improve employee morale and enhance the reputation of an organization, Dr Kones stated that a more equitable and inclusive workplace environment could lead to increased productivity, innovation, and overall organizational success.
He pointed out that gender audits help uncover hidden biases and inequalities in recruitment, promotion, pay, and other workplace practices, issues he noted affect all genders.
The Deputy Governor observed that by addressing gender inequalities, organizations could contribute to broader national development goals, improve workplace dynamics, and contribute to a more equitable and inclusive society.
He noted that the County Government of Nakuru had unveiled a new gender policy for promoting equality and addressing gender imbalances.
The gender policy is crafted to push for realization of sustainable development and offers guidelines for gender responsive planning and budgeting, while providing a legal framework to fast track initiatives that seek to promote gender inclusion and equality.
He indicated that the new framework aims to embed gender considerations into county’s development initiatives and tackle Gender Based Violence (GBV) FGM among other issues.
Dr Kones affirmed that the new policy advocates for strategies to ensure greater female participation and equal access to development resources and that it seeks to create a more inclusive and equitable society where women and men can participate fully in development.
He pledged that the County was determined to ensure gender parity especially in recruitment and appointments and underscored the importance of investing in women as a fundamental human rights issue emphasizing the need for urgent action to address barriers to women’s economic empowerment and participation.
Kones indicated that by ensuring safety, access to quality education, and empowerment of women and girls they will be liberated from fear and violence and unleash their full potential, thereby contributing significantly to the growth and advancement of the society.
The Deputy Governor emphasized that gender equality and women empowerment were essential components of human development and basic human rights.
Achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls by 2030, Kones said it was goal number 5 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, but the reality, he added was that gender parity remained far off the mark.
By Esther Mwangi
