Stop violence against women in elections
What you need to know:
- Thanks to affirmative action, there has been some improvement in the numbers of elected women leaders.
- The general election is four months away and there have already been incidents of violence targeting women.
The political arena has always been a hostile ground for women seeking elective leadership positions in our male-dominated democratic system. The most uncomfortable place for women to be is the campaign trail, where harassment, crude insults and other negative things discourage many of them from stepping forward to play a greater role in politics.
Thanks to affirmative action, there has been some improvement in the numbers of elected women leaders. The creation of the position of Woman Representative in the National Assembly is the most deliberate advancement in this struggle.
As is evident in the outgoing Parliament, the two-thirds gender rule, which is entrenched in the 2010 Constitution, will take much longer to realise. Its implementation has remained elusive and yet nobody questions its spirit, which is to increase the numbers of women in the county and national assemblies and other public organisations. It is only fair that sufficient numbers of women are involved in decision-making.
It is, therefore, quite saddening that women who are brave enough to come out and claim their space in the legislative assemblies face hostility, often bordering criminality. The general election is four months away and there have already been incidents of violence targeting women. Vulgar and aggressive language is used to scare women away from the public rallies.
Quite timely, therefore, is an appeal by the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) to the government to ensure the security of women aspirants in the run-up to the August 9 elections. NGEC wants security organs to assure women, youth and persons with disabilities of protection as they participate in campaigns and eventually cast their ballots.
The spectre of violent campaigns has elicited concern even in international circles with UN Women teaming up with the National Police Service to host forums to promote peaceful elections. Of course, it is the women and children who mostly bear the brunt of election violence.
The vices perpetrated against women are rampant during elections. Sadly, many of those who humiliate female candidates go scot-free. Women and other special interest groups have a right to vie for elective posts and campaign freely.
