Kenyan women hits and misses on rights

President Uhuru Kenyatta is in Canada attending the #WomenDeliver conference. He is expected to discuss global challenges to gender equality as well as the wellbeing of girls in the 21st Century. I’m sure the president will spin a good yarn about Kenya being the most progressive country on the planet when it comes to women’s rights, and no doubt many people will believe him. He talks a good talk, our president. If you leave your spin filter at home, you’re likely to be unduly impressed by the state of our nation.

So, if Canada is listening, please remind Mr Kenyatta that his National Assembly is in breach of Kenya’s Constitution; having failed to observe the Two-thirds Gender Principle. That women are being killed by men at an alarming rate and that despite appending his signature to a law that promises free sanitary towels for girls in need, there are still millions of Kenyan girls who miss school for days every month because they cannot afford feminine hygiene products. And, oh yes, that one of his governors has made it a sport to weaponise femininity by shaming women leaders in public.