Menu

Location: Kenya

Amplifying voices for gender equality

Issue

Gender inequality in the East Africa region is manifest at all levels: in the social spheres, at the domestic level, and in public institutions. Gender based violence is particularly problematic. While there has been increased representation of women in politics – Rwanda leads the world in women’s representation in parliament at 61.4%, progress has been uneven.

Until recently there was a lack of harmonized policies and legislation to deal with gender inequality across the region. But in March 2017, the EAC Gender Equality and Development Act (also called the Gender Bill) was passed by the East Africa Legislative Assembly. While the Act awaits to be assented to by the Heads of States and to take effect nationally, there is a clear need for a harmonised framework for action, to track success, and to make cross-national comparisons.

Project

The Eastern African Sub-regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women (EASSI) is monitoring the implementation of the Gender Bill at both the regional and national level to gauge progress toward gender equality.

EASSI is a civil society network working through National Focal Point member organisations in eight countries of the region: Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda. Its Secretariat is based in Uganda.

The Commonwealth Foundation has supported EASSI’s advocacy on the Gender Bill by enabling interaction between EASSI and members of the East African Legislative Assembly. The project also includes the development of a gender barometer which will provide an annual report that assesses progress of government’s actions, such as formulating policies that remove gender based discrimination, guaranteeing women’s rights, and providing the necessary services for the realisation of these commitments. These actions require financial resources, institutional mechanisms and accountability frameworks that should be integrated in national plans and budgets.

Citizens views on government performance are a fundamental component of the barometer that integrates the use of a ‘Citizen Score Card’. The barometer offers evidence based information for holding governments accountable to their gender commitments.

Ensuring the right to health for vulnerable people

Issue

Availability and utilisation of monetary resources play a central role in the realisation of the right to health in Kenya. Resources allocated to health need to be utilised in an accountable and transparent manner, thus ensuring that everybody, especially the most vulnerable, can access health services.

Project

Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV & AIDS (KELIN) is building a network of knowledgeable civil society organisations (CSOs) Community Based Organisations (CBOs), the media and communities of persons affected by HIV and TB to monitor the implementation of the right to health commitments, including the availability and utilisation of resources allocated to health at county and national level. This includes participation in health planning processes at county level and the development of communications to inform stakeholders on health issues. KELIN is also facilitating constructive engagement between the network and decision makers, such as government officials at county level, to advocate for measures that can promote greater transparency and accountability in the health sector.

This project builds on the “Influencing HIV Policy in Kenya” project funded by the Commonwealth Foundation from July 2013 – June 2016. The project established and built the capacity of networks in key target counties to engage in local governance processes for enhanced and inclusive delivery of health services.

Through the proposed project these networks will be expanded and further strengthened to monitor the implementation of the right to health. Network members are closely involved in the planning, implementation and monitoring of the project in order to promote ownership.
By the end of the project, network members will have acquired skills and experience to enable them to continue to monitor the implementation of the right to health commitments in the long term.

Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV & AIDS

KELIN is a Kenyan civil society organisation working to protect and promote health-related rights in Kenya by: advocating for integration of human rights principles in laws, policies and administrative frameworks; facilitating access to justice in respect of violations of health related rights; and developing the capacities of civil society organisations and groups working to promote the right to health. KELIN has been at the forefront in advocating for increased public participation in governance processes relating to the health sector, including policy making and legislation review, in Kenya. The organisation has experience of participating in the development of policies and legislation relating to health in Kenya, including the Health Act 2017 and the Reproductive Health Bill 2015.