Gender Equality - A Long Ways to Go

Due to ongoing concerns about the spread of COVID-19, CSW64 was shortened from its original two weeks (9-20 March) to one day (9 March) and a follow-up meeting on 13 March 2020. The 64th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW64) had over ten thousand women activists, country representatives, and others planning to attend what could have been the largest UN gathering on the rights of women worldwide. Since I was a delegate last year at the CSW63 Conference in NYC, I have been following this story closely.

In 1995, feminist movements from around the world joined together in Beijing, China, for the Fourth World Conference on Women. At this conference, the world’s governments adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which was a landmark platform for ensuring the rights of women and girls. Sadly, many of the recommendations have failed to make any lasting progress or real commitments to gender equality.What is needed is an aggressive agenda for gender equality and human rights of all women and girls.

In March 2019 I co-authored a position paper for CSW63. Entitled "Empowering Women in Society", it was adopted by the assembly and added to official documents. The following is an abbreviated version of the report.

"Empowering women in society is more than an ideal; it is a basic human right. Among the most important of these rights is education. Educating a girl can result in transforming an entire community. A just and a free society begins to emerge when that happens. In countries like Kenya East Africa, there is a strong movement, particularly through Non Governmental Organizations to support the girl child and to provide hope through education. 

Former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has stated, “Educating girls and giving them the tools to shape their own future has an incredible multiplier effect on economic growth. It leads to increased prosperity not just for individuals but for their communities and their societies. It provides returns for decades.”

Community Education Services Canada has worked in rural Kenyan communities to ensure that those orphaned by HIV/Aids are given opportunity to learn and develop to the highest degree possible. Bright, motivated young people are now studying at secondary and post secondary levels. Since 2004, over 3,000 scholarships have allowed youth to move forward in their lives. Of that number over 50% have been directed towards young women.

To the extent we believe in gender equity and allow access to education for girls, we open new doors of opportunity for employment and economic development. When women are empowered there will slowly emerge a new social contract and a healthier society. Moving forward, the strategy must involve a demonstrated passion and a relentless commitment to ending poverty. Providing access to education is more than an act of charity; it is an essential component of justice and the promotion of equal rights for all. 

Kenyans are conditioned to believe that the answers to problems come from “outside”. Of particular concern to women is HIV/Aids, substance abuse, lack of nutrition, corruption, family breakdowns and violence against women and children. It is critical therefore that solutions be developed by Kenyans for Kenyans and that participants include women.

There is a multiplier effect when girls achieve a secondary or post secondary education. When one girl is educated, given time will influence seven others and push them towards a better life. The reality is however, that so many girls in Kenya are raised in poverty and are consistently denied even a basic education. Educated young women have the energy and creativity to shape their future. They are inclined to use their education for good, protecting the environment, promoting democracy, defending human rights and fighting for equality between men and women. 

Culture plays a central role in the political, economic and social life of communities. Local culture is a dynamic that has evolved through generations and therefore takes time to change. Retrogressive traditions such as female genital mutilation and early childhood marriage can only change as Kenyans re-define positive aspects of their culture. Creating a society where girls are valued to the same extent as boys is key to building a sense of belonging and identity to the family structure. Rooted in Kenyan culture is a respect for its elders; and so any positive change must involve the senior generation, a group that typically has not had opportunity to attend school. 

A critical component of education is leadership training and skill development. Community Education Services Kenya has created an online leadership study program called “Shaping Kenya’s Future”. Topics include interpersonal skill development, character building and goal setting designed to promote independent learning and proactive problem solving. Through the setting of realistic and attainable goals, scholars will be able to measure and further develop their career and academic potential and aspire to a brighter future. 

The Community Education Services School of Continuing Education (CESCED) ensures that an equal number of girls to boys will participate. Young women are benefitting and our experience has been that graduates of the program are taking on leadership roles in both private and public employment settings. Some have become involved in local and national elections as scrutineers and advisors; while others have experience as mentors, counsellors and teacher assistants within our school communities. A number have made their mark as entrepreneurs and business people. Alumnus of the leadership program are engaged in extra curricular education activities in schools promoting such topics as community health, washing hands with soap, healthy living and prevention of HIV/Aids.

This leadership initiative builds skills not taught in the school curriculum. It encourages young people, both girls and boys to view themselves as “nation builders” and exemplify the leadership values they wish to see in their own leaders; namely, justice, integrity and trust. Topics explore the impact of using intellectual imagination, personal initiative, high level achievement and inner strength to overcome adversity. All have their own gift to bring, all can participate, all will make a difference. 

Challenges we face in this 21st century can only be overcome through a combined effort to educate girls and boys together. They are a gift to the world and in large part our hope and our future. The life of the planet and the economic viability of societies that make up our world depend on it. This is the day and the time to revive, renew and shift our collective thinking. Education for all is a moral imperative, absolutely essential to our future. Tomorrow’s leaders are seated in the classrooms of today. Let’s give them the best possible chance to be the visionaries and game-changers our world so desperately needs.

Patricia Nyanchama Makori ... 03/2019