Standard Group Women Network to partner with ministry to empower women

Standard Group Women Network President Queenter Mbori-Saina (left), and Public Relations and Events chair Faith Rono (right) present a gift to Devolution CS Margaret Kobia when they paid her a courtesy call in her office in Nairobi on Wednesday. [David Njaaga, Standard]

The Standard Group Women Network on Wednesday held talks with Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs Cabinet Secretary Margaret Kobia on creating initiatives to improve the lives of girls and women countrywide.

Network President Queenter Mbori-Saina said with the partnership, they were seeking to expand their work, which is currently focused on empowering the more than 300 female employees of the Standard Group.

“It is our responsibility to share the knowledge we have with the community, especially with young women,” said Ms Mbori, while explaining their motivation to collaborate with the ministry.

She said since the network’s launch last October, they had worked to improve the lives of female employees through training and mentorship.

Mbori also commended the establishment and improvement of facilities that cater for the needs of women, such as a mothers’ room at the company’s offices launched yesterday.

The president said some of the initiatives they intended to pursue in collaboration with the ministry would be directed towards solving challenges faced by women such as sexual harassment, gender-based violence, femicide and biased media coverage.

She said they would also seek to inspire girls and women through specific programmes like the release of a publication and the launch of awards that would celebrate women who made an extraordinary impact in the society.

Prof Kobia congratulated Faith Rono, who is the public relations and events chairperson, and Margaret Muthee, who chairs the fundraising and partnerships committee, for their efforts and success in promoting women.

“We are struggling against a well-established system. It is not just a Kenyan or African thing. That is why gender equality is the fifth Sustainable Development Goal,” she said.