Time to address all the ills against women, at home and workplace

March 8 will be the International Women’s Day. That is when the global community celebrates and recognises progress made in relation to gender equality and equity in all segments of development.

The focus will be to recognise achievements in ensuring women—the gender historically disadvantaged through discrimination and bias in all aspects, including economically, socially and even politically—close that unpleasant gap of prejudice.

This day is for celebrating women’s historical, cultural, economic and political feats. More importantly, it is marked to draw attention to the need to act against gender inequality, discrimination (mostly against women and girls), raise awareness and rally the world around the need for a more equitable and inclusive world free of gender bias.

The theme of this year’s event, “Break the Bias”, is apt at this time. It falls on a critical period, as the third general election under the current Constitution—a document that is explicit and unambiguous on our diversity, all-inclusiveness and non-discrimination on the basis of gender or otherwise—beckons.

Electioneering period

Given that we are in the middle of the electioneering period, gender equality campaigners, and specifically women, expect the ideals of the Constitution—fairness, balance, inclusivity and diversity—to be applied if the August 9 elections will be impartial and just.

A casual glance at the composition and activities of political parties ahead of nominations for their candidates is clearly telling in terms of gender equality or lack of it.

While the leadership of the so-called big parties is clearly masculine, the bulk of their support is heavily feminine. Refurbished and revamped last week with pomp and pageantry, Jubilee Party’s new leadership line-up is an example. Out of the 21 who are expected to lead the ruling party into, hopefully, new political horizons, only four are women.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. There is saving grace at United Democratic Alliance (UDA), whose secretary-general is a woman—Veronica Maina. It is, then, no surprise that the only familiar female faces on the decision-making table (and not always) at the top of coalitions as they place themselves strategically to lead the country, Narc-K’s Martha Karua and Governor Charity Ngilu (Narc) are leaders of political parties they founded.

Political parties where women hold top positions is evidence of good performance. Being in the thick of things at this point, when nominations of candidates is a matter of life and death, is not a position of envy. That is where the likes of Ms Maina and human rights lawyer Catherine Mumma, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) National Elections Board chairperson, come in.

When she took the podium at ODM’s National Delegates Convention, at Kasarani on Saturday, to formally endorse Raila Odinga as the presidential candidate, Ms Mumma was in her element. She was eloquent and authoritative as she captured the full attention of the hundreds of excited delegates, to weigh and deliver every word and letter as provided by the party’s rules. She was excellent.

Clear-headedness and fairness

That is just an example of what women can bring to political parties. Clear-headedness and fairness that is conspicuously missing in most parties and which is bound to expose itself when the real test—party primaries—begins. It is time to address the inadequacies of our electoral process that is laden with discrimination and inequality of gender, in favour of men. Parties need to appreciate the value of involving women and men in leadership as we seek to break the bias for a nation to effectively thrive in all aspects.

It is time those seeking leadership, in all the sectors, found it obligatory to preach the gospel of gender equality, inclusiveness and diversity. It is important that the top leadership in the private and public sectors come out and powerfully address the serious issues of gender-based violence (GBV) and sexual harassment—which are rampant, mostly against women, at home and workplaces.

#BreakTheBias is the way to go.

Ms Rugene, a consulting editor, is the founder of The Woman’s Newsroom Foundation. [email protected].