The Developments in the Landscape Impacting Women and Social Transformation

By Dr Abuom
Global development discourses and the role of women have evolved during the recent decades partly due to the Civil Society Women Organizations and movements pushing for recognition beginning with the 1975 Copenhagen United Conference. It is evident now that that among the key principles for sustainable development which include; people centered development as opposed to infrastructure; climate justice that is sustainable resource utilization; equal participation of women in social economic development is highlighted.
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) nine in number dedicated goal three for example to women empowerment. Furthermore, lessons learnt from the MDGs which regarding the participation and challenges experienced by women are now embedded in the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), whose motto is “no one shall be left out”. Therefore, SDGs aim at ensuring the poor majority in the global south (1 billion) is lifted out of misery, inequitable and discriminatory paradigms of development are replaced by a more human centered and inclusive approach. A number of goals target women like goal number five. Thus Faith Based Organizations have a role in partnering on this agenda and in particular the church is better placed to realize a number of the goals and aspirations contained therein that address women given that in most church majority of the membership is women.
What other key trends that positively and negatively impact women participation in society? For the sake of this paper, focus is given to a few. To begin with, the United Nations and other multilateral agencies acknowledge women agency in realizing the agenda of justice, peace and sustainable development. This realization is premised on the fact that no development can be meaningful without including 51 per cent or more in social transformation processes.
Another global trend worth noting is the role Faith Based Organizations play in ensuring the software of human development. Hence an acceptance by development actors that “faith” is the rock or soul upon which any processes of social transformation and development must be hinged. And within the faith communities women have a central role in nurturing and sustaining the values and teachings of respective faiths. Obviously caution has to be taken by faith based organizations so that their comparative advantage is not instrumentalized by development actors.
In many a country including Kenya studies show that although women have made strides in providing political leadership, and while governance policies are established to facilitate women participation, many hurdles stand in the way of their engagement. For example, the two-third gender rules whilst a key step towards equality as provided for in the 2010 Kenyan Constitution, its implementation continues to face obstacles. Experiences on the ground militate against the full implementation of the rule which include: electoral violence, poor civic and voter education, cultural and traditional perceptions of the role of women in society etc.
Important to note is that although Kenya has reformed the Judiciary, the legal architecture remains remote to many a woman seeking justice as the corridors are opaque and the language strange. Susan Mboya – Kidero notes that

“In Africa, the average representation on boards by women stands at 13 per cent, lagging behind Europe and Australia at 26 per cent and North America at 20 per cent. The ratio is however higher than South America 8 per cent and Asia nine per cent,”Susan Mboya – Kidero.

Firms are not required by law in Kenya to appoint a minimum number of women to their boards. In this regard Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) Chief Executive Officer Geofrey Odundo, states that “allowing firms to appoint members on a voluntary basis means that they will take on those whose skills and competencies best fit the positions. Legislation is an enabler but it should be more of a voluntary basis”. In brief both local and international firms lag behind in gender affirmative action.
Many studies in the area of economy and employment illustrate that many women are engaged in small scale farming and in informal sector. However, according to Brian Ngugi, when it comes to women wage employment in the agricultural sector, they are behind men for example, they are 112,000 compared to 186,000; while those in public administration stand at 83,000 compared to 148,000. According to the Kenya Bureau of Statistics report of 2016, only 880,000 women compared to 1.6million men were employed in the formal sector – women trailing men by 65 per cent. It is also noted that women fare poorly regarding wage employment at 249,000 women and 276,000 men. Many of the unemployed in Kenya are young women and men although the country has a youth budge. The socio-cultural factors in Kenya still play a major role in making it difficult for women to assume their place and seat at the table of decision making. These factors include; rituals and practices such as early and child marriages, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), poor access to health and education services.. Although Kenya is not at war or has a manifested open conflict, it experiences low profile tensions within and between communities that exacerbate sexual and gender violence. A growing menace in Kenya that has not received requisite attention is Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) which occurs in the home and public spaces like schools, churches offices etc. In most cases the victims are boys and girls and women who are victimized and traumatized. Studies indicate that a child who has experienced sexual violence is likely to commit the same crime on another person.