Long-standing cultural beliefs exclude Meru women from leadership positions, according to a report released by the Ipas Africa Alliance.
The report states that negative social norms and cultural beliefs that subordinate women and girls to men and boys continue to restrict women in Meru County from reaching leadership positions.
The report shows that Meru culture and traditional gender roles prioritize family responsibilities for women and girls.
According to the report, “Patriarchal Rules: Perspectives and Reflections on Women's Leadership in Meru County,'' knowledge and empowerment of opportunities for women is limited.
This calls into question the quality and effectiveness of voter education being conducted in the county.
According to the data, women currently hold only two out of 56 elected positions (3.5 per cent) in Meru County, which is below the national average of 23.4 per cent.
“The hurdles to political participation do not end with winning against the odds. In fact, as in the case of Kawira Mwangaza, the situation only worsens with victory,” the report said.
“This report tested the hypothesis that deeply entrenched patriarchal nuances and patriarchy internalized by women themselves contribute significantly to the apparent lack of women's political participation in Meru.” he added.
According to the report, there is currently no elected female councilor, but only one female MCA has been elected to the district assembly, where 45 of the 69 members are elected and 24 are appointed.
The report says women who played key roles in Kenya's decolonization struggle are not sufficiently recognized as role models to strengthen women's resolve in politics.
“For example, women who pioneered social liberation struggles in the early years of independence, such as Mekatiliri wa Menza, are absent from discussions about promoting women's political participation,” the report said.
The report further raises concerns about the impact of gender-based violence and regressive and harmful cultural practices, such as female genital mutilation, on women.
The report notes that Meru women are disproportionately affected by GBV, with data showing that 88 percent of Meru women experience GBV, and nearly half die. It is estimated that.
According to data collected from the county, the prevalence of GBV is high, with 88% of assaults/beating/beating, 35% of killing/murder of GBV victims, and 67% of women experiencing GBV within the past 12 months. It became clear that it was.
“There is evidence that inaction and inadequate responses by public authorities mandated to respond to GBV continue to make it difficult for GBV survivors to access services and justice,” the report said.
The report states that GBV health infrastructure is well developed in referral hospitals and national hospitals, but less well developed in lower-level health facilities where most of the GBV cases are recorded.
Similarly, lower-level centers lack basic facilities and equipment and lack trained staff to manage the large number of referred GBV cases.
This lack of capacity continues to result in poor case management in lower-level health facilities, compromising their ability to provide quality services to survivors.
Through the Call for Local Initiatives (CFLI) project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, Ipas conducted a desk study on women's leadership in Kenya to understand the state of gender equality with a particular focus on Meru County. carried out.
This literature review included a detailed analysis of the available literature on women's leadership and gender-based violence, including books, journals, articles, and academic publications, with a particular focus on Meru County.
The objective was to identify gaps, challenges, and underlying factors as a pathway to strengthening gender justice in the county.
