Barack Obama: Do not treat women as second class citizens

US President Barack Obama giving his speech at Kasarani Stadium, Nairobi on Sunday. [Photo: PSCU]

Nairobi, Kenya: President Barack Obama Sunday brought to Kenya a strong message of empowering women and girls, emphasising that countries that treat them with dignity are the most successful.

During his address to the public at Safaricom indoor arena Kasarani, Obama said that women and girls are vital in the success of any democracy, a message he reiterated during his speech to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit on Saturday.

 “To continue down the path of progress, it is important for Kenya to realise that no country can achieve its full potential unless it draws from the full potential of all its people and that includes the half of Kenyans, probably a little more than half, that is women and girls.”

Obama criticised the continued clinging onto past cultures which he dismissed as being unnecessary and a hindrance to development.

“Around the world, there is a tradition of repressing women and treating them differently and not giving the same opportunities; husbands beating their wives and children not being sent to school; treating women and girls as second class citizens - those are bad traditions, they need to change, and they are holding you back.  There is no excuse for sexual assault or domestic violence. There is no reason young girls should suffer Female Genital Mutilation,” said Obama.

“Every country has traditions that are unique, but just because something is part of your past, that doesn’t make it right, it doesn’t mean that it defines your future,” he added.

Forced marriage

In a society where some communities still force girls into early marriage, the US president said the practice had been overtaken by time.

“There is no place in the civilized society for forced or early marriage of children, these traditions may date back centuries but they have no place in the 21^st century.”

“Any nation that fails to educate its girls or employ its women and allow them to maximize their potential is doomed to fall behind in global economy.”

And as if to reiterate the saying that a community that educates a girl educates the whole world, the president sought to strengthen his message:

“Evidence shows that communities that give their daughters the same opportunities as their sons are more peaceful, prosperous, they develop faster and are more likely to succeed; that is true in America, that is true in Kenya.”

The US president said that America was committed in its pursuit of empowering youth in Kenya and in the African continent, a key step for future development.

“America is also partnering with you on an issue that is very fundamental to Kenya’s future; we are investing in the youth. It is the young people who must take the lead.”