Tuesday, March 8, 2011

First Lady urges MPs to safeguard women rights



Written By:KBC reporters /agencies,    Posted: Tue, Mar 08, 2011

First Lady Mama Lucy Kibaki (file/photo)
First Lady Mama Lucy Kibaki has urged parliamentarians to pass bills that will protect the rights and welfare of the girl child and women of Kenya .
While acknowledging that the 9th and 10th Parliaments have been active in legislating laws to curb harmful practices perpetrated against women, the First Lady noted that key bills that would help to decisively eliminate the vices including the Family Protection Bill 2009, Marriage Bill 2009 and Matrimonial Property Bill 2009, were still pending.
"I urge our Parliamentarians, especially women legislators in the Tenth Parliament, to use the floor of Parliament to protect the girl child and the women of Kenya ," the First Lady said. 
The First Lady made the remarks Tuesday in a speech read on her behalf by Gender, Children and Social Development Minister Dr. Naomi Shaban at Kenyatta International Conference Centre during celebrations to mark this year's International Women's Day.
Mrs. Kibaki, at the same time, called on all Kenyans to join hands in eliminating vices like rape, child molestation, child trafficking and violence against women which erode the dignity and self esteem of women. 
"Sometimes these vices are fatal and we must all join hands to eliminate them from our society," Mrs. Kibaki said. 
Noting that for a long time retrogressive cultural vices such as Female Genital Mutilation, early marriages and child labour hindered the smooth development of the girl child, the First Lady said she was glad that as the country celebrated the International Women's Day the vices were on the decline.
In this regard, she commended the media for creating awareness on their harmful effects and non-governmental organizations for their active campaigns against retrogressive practices.
On her part, the First Lady said the Kenya Chapter of the Organization of African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS, which she heads, has served as a unique platform for her to track matters of women and children in the country.
Said the First Lady: "Today, I am glad to note that we have achieved a lot especially in areas that are most crucial to the empowerment of women; namely education, health, economic empowerment and elimination of retrogressive cultural practices."
Education
With respect to education, Mrs. Lucy Kibaki said tremendous progress has been made in promoting girl child education.
She pointed out that the Free Primary Education Programme and free tuition in secondary schools has contributed to an increase in school enrollment of girls.
"Indeed, enrollment in primary schools has attained near gender parity. In addition, affirmative action that reduced university entry cut-off points to 64 for girls compared to 66 for boys has been implemented," Mrs. Kibaki said.
The First Lady, however, observed that as the education of the girl child is emphasized, the educational needs of the boy child must also not be overlooked.
On economic empowerment, Mrs. Kibaki said a lot of progress has been made notably the Women Enterprise Fund, launched by the Government in 2007, which will go a long way in enabling the Kenyan women to venture or expand their businesses thereby reducing poverty and enhancing their economic independence.
Said the First Lady: "The Fund enables women to borrow money and engage in businesses at very reasonable interest rates without the requirements of cumbersome sureties and other bureaucratic processes." 
Equally important, the First Lady said, are the affirmative actions that the Government has initiated to empower women including implementation of the Presidential directive requiring 30 per cent of all appointments, recruitments and promotions in the public service be reserved for women.
Mrs. Kibaki added that the requirement has since been entrenched in the new Constitution, which also provides for increased representation of women in Parliament and the Senate.
She expressed satisfaction that as the world marks 100 years since the International Women's Day was first celebrated, giant strides have been made in promoting gender parity and improving the general welfare of women across the world.
"Our country has not been left behind.  Indeed, I take this opportunity to thank Kenyan women who have played a frontline role in championing the cause of women in our country," the First Lady said.
The First Lady also saluted all the women in the country who have continued to provide and stand strong for their families against many odds.
She also congratulated all Kenyan women who have excelled in various areas of national endeavor including sports, academia, business, media, politics and other fields.
"These women have not only served as role models that inspire our young girls but have also demonstrated that yes, women can do as much as men can," the First Lady said.
Other speakers included Environment and Mineral Resources Minister Prof. Margaret Kamar and Gender, Children and Social Development Permanent Secretary Dr. James Nyikal among others.
Constitution
This is the first time Kenya is marking the day under a new constitution which is gender-sensitive as it calls for gender representation in all spheres.
Elsewhere, the Chairman of the Commission on Implementation of the new constitution, Charles Nyachae has urged Kenyan women to remain vigilant in the on- going constitution implementation process.
Nyachae says that the new constitution gives a framework that can empower women and other disadvantaged people in society.
Speaking during the launch of the Udada peace initiative to mark the International Women's Day at a Nairobi hotel, Nyachae said that the new constitution recognizes women in decision making and has also offered an equal representation to all public organs.
He called on women to read and understand the content and provisions in the new constitution so as to ensure full and fair implementation.

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