Rights Organization hold annual Womens Rights Convention 2021

Against the backdrop of a global pandemic, Women Rights Organizations are holding The Annual Women’s Rights Convention 2021 that seeks to amplify and unify the voices of women’s movement in Kenya and enable them forge a common ground.

The two day event running from 11 th to 12 th August 2021 with the objective of emergence of a transformative women’s leadership movement will focus on discussions of dynamics of power and how it determines the way men and women are treated by institutions, policies and laws.

The discussions are geared towards securing women’s gains in the 2010 constitution as well as position themselves for leadership and decision making in the forthcoming 2022 General Elections.

“The annual Women’s Rights convention is key coming at this time, when we are having reflections on the whole journey towards gender equality looking at the challenges, opportunities and gains. It is my hope that as we spend the two days we are going to come up with a framework of partnership and collaboration and at the same time hold each other accountable.” said Prof. Margaret Kobia MGH, CBS, Cabinet Secretary Public Service and Gender, during the opening of the Annual Women Rights Convention in Nairobi.

“Gender equality is about power relations and dynamics. It is a journey of change management that follows a certain theory of change, she said. “As we approach national elections next year in Kenya, the need for transformative women’s leadership has never been greater.

When women’s voices are heard, truly heard better decisions are made for everyone. Women’s voices cannot be heard unless women are at the decision making level at all levels –local, community,county, regional, national and global scale, said H.E David De Silva, Acting Head of Mission, Canadian High Commission in Kenya during the launch of the Convention.

The Convention which will have an intergenerational approach will have young women playing key roles and carry out interviews with participants which will bestreamed live on social media platforms. The interviews will add a platform for more views on the theme and increase participation of stakeholders especially the younger women.

It will also spark debates on current issues and bring more life to the convention.

The discussions will center around women’s challenges, resilience; celebration of the victories; and engaging conversations and stories around gender and other social justice issues including women’s political engagement, economic empowerment and gender-based violence and how women can be at the forefront of promoting inclusivity, diversity and equity.

Among key note speakers expected include: H.E Joyce Banda, Acting Head of Mission, Canadian High Commission Kenya,  CARE-K Country Director
Deputy Director,UN Women Kenya, Cabinet Secretary, Public Service & Gender.

Under the auspices of the Women’s Voice and Leadership Program’s networking and alliance building pillar, women’s rights advocates and activists among them; FEMNET, OXFAM, AMWIK, Badili Africa, Young Women Leaders Connect, University of Nairobi WEE Hub, Feminist for Peace Rights and Justice Center, Africa Council for Accreditation and Accountability-AfCAA, Coast

Association for Persons Living with Disabilities, in collaboration with CRAWN Trust and CARE Kenya, have come together in partnership to host the Annual Women Rights Convention 2021 which will bring together women leaders from civil society, women in leadership within the legislatures at both national and county levels, women leaders in business and the corporate sector and teaching sector among others for a national discussion on the state of women’s rights in Kenya.