By Nelson Musungu, Bungoma
Women from the western region have stepped forward to take a frontline role in promoting peace, advancing leadership and combating gender-based violence (GBV) under a new empowerment initiative supported by the Echo Network Africa Foundation (ENAF).
The sessions, currently underway across the Western region, have been carefully timed as the country prepares for the general elections scheduled in 2027.
During the two day sessions held in Bungoma and Vihiga Counties, women were urged to contest for leadership positions and be visible actors in community governance.
Fleria Mutenyo, a peace actor, who says her peace advocacy work started in 1989 applauded ENAF for organizing the sessions.
“Peace advocacy is a continuous exercise that we all need to embrace,” she said.
However, Mutenyo pointed out that despite their potential, women are still under-represented in high level committees and decision-making roles.
“In Bungoma, women occupants in key and strategic committees are very few, that is why we are here to engage women, take part and fight for these positions,” she explained.
In addition to leadership, a significant focus of the sessions was on tackling the surge of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
Between 2016 and July 2023, Bungoma recorded 9,089 cases of sexual and gender-based violence involving girls aged 10–17, compared to 18,510 nationally.
The 2022 Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS) reported that 62 percent of Bungoma women have experienced physical or sexual violence, while the county accounts for 19 percent of all teenage pregnancies in Kenya.
Mutenyo expressed concern about the high incidence of such cases reported in Bungoma County highlighting the need for women to serve as champions in their localities.
“Women were also rallied to be on the frontline in going to leadership positions and fight gender based violence,” she added.
Chiefs and their assistants were involved in the programme, creating a bridge between grassroots women’s groups and formal administrative structures, thereby bolstering response to SGBV cases and strengthening community level peace mechanisms.
ENAF, the pan-African philanthropic institution behind the initiative, positions itself as a catalyst for women’s empowerment, particularly targeting girls, young women, women with disabilities and those from marginalized communities.
