Media has been urged to call out election related gender-based violence and discrimination by political parties against women even as the quest to achieve the two-thirds gender rule remains unfulfilled.
During a sensitization forum organized by the Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK) in collaboration with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF), stakeholders called on the media to not only support women aspirants by providing platforms to articulate their issues but also to challenge and hold accountable political entities that continue to sideline women.
“The path to achieving the two-thirds gender rule requires concerted efforts among all stakeholders. The media plays a crucial role in advancing the tenets of diversity, inclusion, and equality. We aim to continue to use our voice and platforms to debunk the myths surrounding the Two-Thirds Gender Rule,” said Queenter Mbori, Executive Director of AMWIK.
Mbori’s sentiments were echoed by the Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya (FIDA-Kenya) Executive Director Ann Ireri who urged the media to be vigilant in reporting and condemning election-related gender based which often goes unaddressed and discourages women from vying for political office.
Ireri further criticized the delay in implementing the two-thirds gender principle, challenging political parties to adhere to the critical legislation.
“We are yet to attain the two-thirds gender rule 14 years since the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution. Without full participation of women in governance we cannot truly represent the Kenyan populace,” she stated.
The two-thirds gender rule, enshrined in the 2010 Constitution under Article 27(8), mandates that no more than two-thirds of appointive and elective bodies should be of the same gender.
Article 81(b) provides that the electoral system shall comply with the principle that not more than two-thirds of the members of elective public bodies shall be of the same gender.
Additionally, Article 100 outlines that “Parliament shall enact legislation to promote the representation in Parliament of women, persons with disabilities, youth, ethnic and other minorities and marginalized communities.”
Despite the constitutional clarity, the implementation of the two thirds gender rules has faced enormous challenges.
Since 2010, at least 11 bills have been introduced in the National Assembly in a bid to operationalize the rule but none have succeeded in passing into law.
Currently Kenya has 7 elected women Governors, 30 women Members of Parliament and 114 ward representatives.
