Kenya Women Teachers Association Vows To Support The Fight Gender Based Violence
President's Advisor On Women Rights Ms Harriette Chiggai addressing KEWOTA forum yesterday
President’s Advisor On Women Rights Ms Harriette Chiggai Rallied Thousands Of The Women Teaching Fraternity Organization To Support A Call To End Femicide As She Lauded The Head Of State’s Initiative Of Financially Supporting The 16 Days Activism That Starts On Monday
By Wilfred Muchire
Worth Noting:
- President Ruto’s advisor of Women Rights Ms Harriette Chiggai gave a keynote address where she, among other things, outlined various methodologies that women and other stakeholders should apply in order to positively advance the course for women.
- To start with, Ms Chiggai noted that women are mostly disadvantaged and face a myriad of challenges in their different professions that they pursue. She said one of them was gender-based discrimination which manifests in various forms such as unequal pay, limited opportunities for women’s professional advancement to leadership roles as well as in some instances, sexual harassment at work place.
- She called on KEWOTA leadership to promote gender equality through curriculum and extracurricular activities that should target all school staff and students.
A welfare association that enhances the living standards of women in the teaching profession has resolved to be at the forefront of supporting the upcoming activism against Femicide and Gender Based Violence (GBV).
The Kenya Women Teacher Association (KEWOTA) members made the declaration yesterday during their ongoing two day 5th Annual Conference and Exhibition at Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development headquarters in Ngara area, Nairobi.
The association officials who included chairperson Modesta Akaki, Treasurer Jacinta Ndegwa and Chief Executive Officer Benta Opande led hundreds of the members in declaring an all-out war against any form of vice that can prejudice their lives and activities of women.
President Ruto’s advisor of Women Rights Ms Harriette Chiggai gave a keynote address where she, among other things, outlined various methodologies that women and other stakeholders should apply in order to positively advance the course for women.
To start with, Ms Chiggai noted that women are mostly disadvantaged and face a myriad of challenges in their different professions that they pursue. She said one of them was gender-based discrimination which manifests in various forms such as unequal pay, limited opportunities for women’s professional advancement to leadership roles as well as in some instances, sexual harassment at work place.
She called on KEWOTA leadership to promote gender equality through curriculum and extracurricular activities that should target all school staff and students.
Another challenge that Ms Chiggai cited was lack of mentorship and leadership opportunities like sponsorship programmes, an issue she noted hinders career growth and advancement.
Further, she said, lack of adequate infrastructure and resources, particularly in most rural areas was a stumbling block in efficient teaching as well as learning.
Ms Chiggai urged them to develop and support initiatives that address gender-based violence by among other things, create a safe learning spaces for all as she lauded the Head of State for his commitment in support of women and children in the fight against GBV where he pledged a KSh100 million to the “Safe Home, Safe Space” initiative.
“The President’s declaration that all arms og government must collaborate to end this vice is a clear indication that we can reverse these femicide cases by working together,” she said.
She called on the teaching fraternity “to close ranks and help the government create safe spaces for the children in schools” as she urged them to enlighten students to always be cautious of their surroundings at all times and avoid situations that they feel unsafe.
Ms Chiggai said her office would work with the association members as change agents in dealing with most challenges since teachers spend many hours with children at school.
All schools and institutions should develop and implement clear policies and procedures that address and prevent sexual harassment like providing counselling and legal support to victims, she said.
“By teaching empathy resilience and problem-solving, you will greatly impact students to navigate challenges and build relationships which are key in fight against GBV,” she observed.
She further called on the association to prioritize the mental health and well-being of women educators through continuous counselling and other support services.
While welcoming the resolution by the association to aggressively take part in the 16 days of activism, Ms Chiggai noted that the move will help create awareness on the need for each to play their role in changing the tide to reverse GBV of any form.
The two-day Conference and Exhibition is being attended by hundreds of stakeholders from all the country.
These include women teachers, a section of male teachers and teachers from sectors such as, Early Childhood Development Education, Special Needs, Informal Sector, Tertiary Level, Retired, Junior Secondary and Secondary schools. Other stakeholders include Policy Makers, Parents Association officials as well as Corporate and Non-Governmental Organizations.
This year’s theme is; “Transformative Empowerment: Breaking Barriers and Bridging Gaps for Women Educators in the 21st Century” which the association noted was timely and relevant as it focuses on equipping women educators to lead in a rapidly evolving world, emphasizing empowerment as a cornerstone in building a more inclusive and equitable future for education in the country.
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