Officials from the Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya (FIDA-Kenya) paid a visit to the County Assembly of Nakuru to discuss a partnership between the two organizations. The partnership’s main aim is to support women in the political space to be more vocal and participate fully in decision-making spaces, with the support of the German Federal Cooperation.
During the meeting, FIDA officials led by Deputy Executive Director Diana Watila and accompanied by Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL Lead) Christabella Barasa met with key Hon Members of the assembly, including the Leader of Majority Dr Alex Langat, the Chair of Women Caucus Hon Dorcas Gathere and Hon Doreen Korir, a member of the Caucus.
The nine-month pilot program, Women’s Inclusive Governance, Accountability, Performance, and Participation, will be implemented in Machakos and Nakuru and is set to bridge the gap in gender representation in leadership positions in Kenya.
FIDA-Kenya is a non-governmental organization that advocates for the social, political, and economic rights of women in Kenya. The organization hopes to work with various stakeholders, including CSPEN, KEWOPA, and the Council of County Governors, to bring together more than 100 women in political seats to discuss the challenges they face, including lack of inclusivity in decision-making, the elevation of affirmative action, and how to deal with social barriers.
As part of the project, Governors, Members of Parliament, and Members of the County Assembly will hold conferences to discuss how they can improve their work and achieve results. FIDA-Kenya hopes that the project will help accelerate the number of women showing interest and positioning themselves in governance spaces at the National and County Levels.
The Women’s Inclusive Governance, Accountability, Performance, and Participation project is a long-term initiative that aims to enhance women’s participation in leadership roles and decision-making processes. The officials are optimistic that the project will have a positive impact on gender representation in leadership positions in Kenya.