Dinner for 2?
Making men more conscious is the first step towards challenging gender. I think you will agree with me when I say that Affirmative action is not a dinner for one. Men and women must partake of this meal together.
Don’t get your coat and leave just yet. You don’t need any fancy reservations or elaborate dinner attire; we are serving this meal hot on your desktop!
This month USAWA is jumpstarting the process for this bipartisan discussion. We spoke to hundreds of men about what they feel concerning women empowerment and governance. In order for you to make it right through to dessert, we at USAWA felt the need to integrate men fully in these discussions, lest their attitudes provide the chief obstacle to women’s equality in governance.
Decipher the menu...
Is our menu in a language men understand lest they unfairly dismiss the cuisine altogether?
In our bid to sensitize the public on the truly noble aim of empowering women, we sometimes find our quest likened to the misconstrued notion that the only thing on offer in a French restaurant is escargot - snail.
Throw in the seasoning...
No matter how good the cuisine, it will not go down well without the herbs and spices that make it more enjoyable. The good news is that there are men are onboard. For some men it comes without saying that women deserve equal opportunities. We have seen the 5billion programme championed by Equity's managing director, James Mwangi. Many of responses we got were positive.
Pass the lemon...
Culture has proved to be the bitter lemon that nobody dares devour. Though rich in nutrients, nobody dares take a bite. Mark Ole Karbolo has harnessed the goodness and is making lemonade among the Loita Maasai. Using culture to propel development, he has taken an otherwise rigid culture and created spaces for women in decision making and legal structures.
Ambience...
Eric Kimani - Kenyan politics is too violent; that violence is what puts off so many women from venturing into politics. It has to be made less violent because one wonders at what risk am I running? To lose my life?
Capable leadership within a poor political climate can be equated to fine dining bang in the middle of a war zone. Amidst all the propaganda, verbal and physical abuse women often find themselves relegated to the periphery of political leadership.
This is just the appetizer. Welcome to our sumptuous buffet of views.
Bon appétit |
Fraudulent political parties and poor nominations processes should not deter women political aspirants to participate in the 2007 General Elections. Was the message conveyed to hundreds of women who turned up at the Kenyatta International Conference Center (KICC), Nairobi on May 5,2007 for the National Women Parliamentary Aspirants Conference. 
Women are at the heart of what happens in the country especially in development. She identifies with resources like access to water, fuel, food and these things have become unaffordable especially in the rural areas. These are the issues that really affect people and a woman with her caring and mothering nature will ensure that changes are brought in these areas. 
Women are passionate and lead from the heart. Just like a woman takes care of her children making sure they are fed, that is the same way she would take care of her constituency. 
