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Feminenza Kenya
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Sustainable Development
| Major group affiliation: |
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| Involvement in UN Partnerships: | Yes |
| If yes, explain in detail: | In 2004 Feminenza Kenya started working with UNESCO PEER’s Culture of Peace Network, assisting women and men from Africa’s Great Lakes Region (mainly Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, Somalia, Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya) to build respect and deepen bonds across ethnic, tribal, socio economic and gender divides. In 2006, at UNESCO’s invitation, Feminenza organised and delivered a 4-day conference on Humanity and Gender, at the UN in Nairobi. More than 300 delegates enrolled; the event led to a significant, enduring grassroots network being developed within Kenya and across the African Great Lakes Region. In October 2006 a Letter of Agreement was signed with UNESCO PEER in which Feminenza committed to assisting UNESCO with its programmes for women in development. In 2009 Feminenza helped the signatories of the Nakuru Peace Accord (2008, originally established by Dekha Ibrahim) to reestablish their resolve, through a 2-day exercise in the Management of Fear. This event was organised together with the e Federation of Women Groups Kenya, who also made a report. In 2010, subsequent to the results from the Nakuru pilot, UN WOMEN asked Feminenza to pilot a full year of its course to establish Forgiveness and Reconciliation Counsellors and contributed USD 100,000 towards the initiative. Thirteen communities were targeted, 26 women enrolled; 20 completed the full year. In 2011 Feminenza delivered the final report about the pilot for the training programme for Forgiveness and Reconciliation Counsellors which was completed successfully (the report is entitled ‘Feminenza’s Forgiveness and Reconciliation Counsellor training pilot – Final Report’. The pilot demonstrated that women do make a difference as agents of change and in bringing peace and reconciliation, enabling their communities to move to a place where conflict is no longer viable. In every area targeted by this pilot, the Chiefs and DCs are now looking to women as agents of peace, stability, well-being, and harmony. Also the women are still continuing to develop their projects and so the effects of Feminenza's training programmes are sustainable in that the results continue beyond the training and also affect the communities of the participants that take part in the training programmes in a lasting way. In the coming years Feminenza will train a cadre of women in Kenya who will themselves be able to train women throughout Kenya and neighbouring countries. |
| Affiliation with other organizations: | Since 2006 Feminenza Kenya has built up a strong network of grassroot organisations they work together with. Also, Feminenza Kenya has made a point from the beginning to consult with important stakeholders from an area/county/district in order to gain support for its training programmes. Elders, Chiefs, Women organisations, District Commissioners and District Peace Committees know about Feminenza's works and are in support of it. Grassroots organisations that Feminenza has built relations with/has worked together with are: COPA, Rural Women Peacelink, Womankind Kenya, PeaceNet, Life Focus Group, Kwamburiot Peace Mothers, IDGP Nakuru, Magenche Poverty Eradication Development Group, Dekha Ibrahim's NGO in Wajir, Women and Youth for Change in Mombasa, Abantu, Amani and NPI. |
Advancement of Women
| Affiliation with other organizations: | In 2004 Feminenza Kenya started working with UNESCO PEER’s Culture of Peace Network, assisting women and men from Africa’s Great Lakes Region (mainly Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, Somalia, Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya) to build respect and deepen bonds across ethnic, tribal, socio economic and gender divides. In 2006, at UNESCO’s invitation, Feminenza organised and delivered a 4-day conference on Humanity and Gender, at the UN in Nairobi. More than 300 delegates enrolled; the event led to a significant, enduring grassroots network being developed within Kenya and across the African Great Lakes Region. In October 2006 a Letter of Agreement was signed with UNESCO PEER in which Feminenza committed to assisting UNESCO with its programmes for women in development. In 2007 Feminenza led a 2-day seminar at Shalom House in Nairobi, for refugees from Burundi, Rwanda and the DRC, on ‘Finding Forgiveness, Reconciliation and Peace’. In 2008, at the encouragement of 'Women and Youth for Change in Mombasa,' Feminenza ran a programme for 60 women leaders, on Transformative Leadership. Representatives of 18 women groups/organisations participated. In 2009 Feminenza helped the signatories of the Nakuru Peace Accord (2008, originally established by Dekha Ibrahim) to reestablish their resolve, through a 2-day exercise in the Management of Fear. This event was organised together with the e Federation of Women Groups Kenya, who also made a report. In 2010, subsequent to the results from the Nakuru pilot, UN WOMEN asked Feminenza to pilot a full year of its course to establish Forgiveness and Reconciliation Counsellors and contributed USD 100,000 towards the initiative. Thirteen communities were targeted, 26 women enrolled; 20 completed the full year. In 2011 Feminenza delivered the final report about the pilot for the training programme for Forgiveness and Reconciliation Counsellors which was completed successfully (the report is entitled ‘Feminenza’s Forgiveness and Reconciliation Counsellor training pilot – Final Report’. The pilot demonstrated that women do make a difference as agents of change and in bringing peace and reconciliation, enabling their communities to move to a place where conflict is no longer viable. In every area targeted by this pilot, the Chiefs and DCs are now looking to women as agents of peace, stability, well-being, and harmony. Since 2006 Feminenza Kenya has built up a strong network of grassroot organisations they work together with. Also, Feminenza Kenya has made a point from the beginning to consult with important stakeholders from an area/county/district in order to gain support for its training programmes. Elders, Chiefs, Women organisations, District Commissioners know about Feminenza's works and are in support of it. Grassroots organisations that Feminenza has built relations with/has worked together with are: COPA, Rural Women Peacelink, Womankind Kenya, PeaceNet, Life Focus Group, Kwamburiot Peace Mothers, IDGP Nakuru, Magenche Poverty Eradication Development Group, Dekha Ibrahim's NGO in Wajir, Women and Youth for Change in Mombasa, Abantu, Amani and NPI. |
| Publications: | The Seven Pillars of Forgiveness - 2007 - first publication. Forgiveness and Reconciliation Counsellor Training Programme - Report on Module 1: ‘How to understand, confront and handle fear in a constructive way.’ - 2009 - first publication and lodged with UN WOMEN. 'Rebuilding Lives’ - 2011 - This book tells the stories of lives (in the Great Rift Valley of Kenya - Nakuru, Kericho, Kisii, Eldoret, Burnt Forest, Mt. Elgon) affected by Feminenza's training programme for Forgiveness and Reconciliation Counselors - first publication. Feminenza’s Forgiveness and Reconciliation Counsellor Training Pilot Final Report (including Appendices) - 2011 - first publication and lodged with UN WOMEN. |
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Statements or documents submitted to the Commission on the Status of Women: |
Oral Statement submitted on 16th February 2012 for the 56th Status of Women meeting in New York. 1. What aspect(s) of the priority theme will be covered by the statement?: The empowerment of rural women and their role in development, peace and security in Kenya. 2. What are the key message(s) of the statement?: • For women to play an effective role in poverty and hunger eradication, they need peace and security. • However, the personal and gender challenges rural women in Kenya face often include the ingrained belief that change must start with, or be delivered by, men, because women are prevented from leading change in a male dominated society. • This is often reinforced with the very real threat of violence if they try to speak out or challenge existing power structures. • With the right support and capacity building, women can develop the inner strength to lead change • Our experience in a one year pilot implementing UNSCR 1325 with rural women in the Rift Valley of Kenya has shown that as they ‘became the change’, they were able to gain the support of the local administrations, and the chiefs now look to them as partners in peace. • As a result of the women actively promoting reconciliation processes in a number of communities in the Rift Valley, economic advancement has been made. One example: Restoring a water supply in Kisii, where a woman brought two disputing clans together, established a new Water Committee and the women together now manage the fetching points. |
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Statements or documents submitted to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women: |
No statements submitted as yet. |
| Involvement in Public Administration: | Feminenza Kenya has worked closely together with servants of Public Administration since 2006 in the execution of its training programmes on Forgiveness and Reconciliation, Gender Respect and Transformative leadership. Relationships have been built with District Commissioners, District Peaces Committees and Chiefs in Nakuru, Kericho, Kisii, Borabu, Sotik, Eldoret, Burnt Forest, Mt. Elgon, Pokot and Turkana. |
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