Courses, seminars, & workshops
Kenya: Kenya Gender Festival
2009-03-13, Issue 423
http://pambazuka.org/en/category/courses/54794
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The Gender Festival is an open forum that brings together feminist and gender-focused groups, other civil society organizations/institutions, activists and other development actors working at various levels. These organizations reflect, share experiences, build capacity, strategize and plan collectively. This has also served as a networking forum for stakeholders in and out of the host country on the questions of gender, gender equality, feminism, sexuality and the intersections between these and power (both public and private).
2009 Kenya Gender Festival
Concept Note
Introduction
African women have been on the forefront of the struggle for equality, justice, peace and development even before the onset of colonialism. While women desire their personal liberation, they see that as part of the total liberation movement. Although there is no doubt that the overt leadership has been dominated by men, the seemingly unacknowledged and informal segment of society controlled by women has been the key to many of the most significant mass movements in most modern African states. It is only in the very recent past that the crucial role played by women in reproductive, communal and productive roles has become recognized and law reforms, which can actualize women’s participation in the productive and consequently decision making positions have been pursued.
Women’s participation and representation in frontline of democracy and peace processes is critical. In order for women to influence decisions that influence their lives and those of their families, their political social and economic empowerment must form part of democratic ideals that contribute to sustainable development. This cannot be achieved without their participation, as they constitute more than half the population. Democracy, peace and development thus need to reinforce goals essential to achievement of the gender equality.
Justification for the Gender Festival
As mentioned above, women all over the world are engaged in a genuine struggle. Examples include; the struggle to get their space in fair education, their voices in decision making, in health, and reproductive rights, in economic empowerment, in employment, the struggle against all sorts of injustice, against gender based violence that leaves behind the unforgettable painful mark1. In Kenya for example, the post election crisis in 2007 witnessed an increase in gender-based violence specifically and systematically targeted at women. These included targeted at women in violence meted on women in and out of the camps.
Over the past decade, international commitments to gender equality, equity and women’s empowerment have been reaffirmed in different UN conferences, and efforts to promote the same has gained momentum on several fronts in the African continent, beyond and even closer home. However, initiatives aimed at providing places and spaces for reflection and action on concepts of gender, feminism, sexuality and equality are few.
One such event that has responded to this need is the bi-annual Tanzania Gender Festival that is implemented by the Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP) and FEMACT. The event, initiated in 1996 creates space for women to share their experiences and gains in the women’s rights discourse.
After attending the 8th Tanzanian gender festival in 2007, Kenyan organizations promoting the advancement of women rights in Kenya were inspired by this model and saw the need to have a similar forum replicated here in Kenya. These organizations included the Daughters of Mumbi and the Kenya Human Rights Commission among others. Such a forum provides an opportunity to mainstream women rights issues through gender responsive program intervention and institutionalization.
The Kenya Gender Festival 2009
The Gender Festival is an open forum that brings together feminist and gender-focused groups, other civil society organizations/institutions, activists and other development actors working at various levels. These organizations reflect, share experiences, build capacity, strategize and plan collectively. This has also served as a networking forum for stakeholders in and out of the host country on the questions of gender, gender equality, feminism, sexuality and the intersections between these and power (both public and private).
The envisaged gender festival aims to provide a platform for different feminist and women organizations and coalitions, to pull their efforts together to highlight gender issues in Kenya and specifically as brought out in the post election scenario. Sentiments have been expressed that the events marking pre, during and post 2007 election in Kenya has brought to right the existing polarization not only in the country but also within the women movement and where there exists need to speak with one voice, for pulling together rather than pulling at each other. Also, the festival will provide an opportunity for different organizations to glean of and consolidate the gains made by past and present activities the women’s movement in Kenya. The women's movement could support to work in solidarity with the people, to address pressing needs so that they can participate and contribute effectively in their own welfare.
The overarching theme of the gender festival is “Celebrate Diversity and Promote Gender Equality”. The gender festival is also organized alongside sub-themes upon which various participating organizations can anchor their particular activities upon and in relation to their areas of expertise. The sub-themes include
* Healing, peace building and unity;
* Women’s movement-building in a diverse society;
* Men for cultural diversity and gender equality.
The festival will is a platform for:
* Networking nationally, regionally and internationally
* Stocktaking of the Women’s Movement
* Influencing National Policy
* Celebrating Women’s Gains (creatively and diversely)
* Identifying Gaps and Challenges
In a nutshell, the festival is organized towards interrogation of activities or responses of the women’s movement to certain issues; identification of best practises through the use of successful case studies; strengthening linkages between activities and responses of the women’s movement to various legal and policy frameworks dealing with women’s and human rights. Lastly the festival aims to increase accountability of the movement and its duty bearers.
Gender Festival Planning:
The Gender Festival is open to all interested organizations, institutions and individuals. Participants will take part in the event either as facilitators and presenters of workshops, exhibitors or active participants in the same. The event gives a broad spectrum of stakeholders within the civil society and government to come together, to chart out a gender transformative agenda in an organized and coordinated fashion. The forum enables gender/feminist activists and allies in civil society to advance an independent development agenda that meets the needs of marginalized groups within and beyond the country. It will also develop strategies of greater engagement of government institutions and donor agencies.
The Gender Festival is being coordinated by a group of feminist networks, women and human rights organizations. Organizations bring together issues of concern for women's movements, with a view to focus on critical analyses and diverse feminist strategies, under the overall theme. Also, other organizations interested in organizing breakaway / separate forums during the festival will cater for their logistical issues towards the same. The host organization for the 2009 Gender Festival is the Federation of Women Lawyers Kenya (FIDA Kenya).
Post Gender Festival activities:
Evaluation activities aimed at self-evaluation has been planned following the gender festival. This is to ensure feedback on whether set objective/ goals were achieved. This process is useful to inform future planning processes regarding the Gender Festival. Specific workshops and budget reports will be shared as part of the whole process.
Proposed dates
The set dates for the event are April 15-17, 2009
Venue
The Vice Chancellor’s Court- University of Nairobi’s graduation square.
Proposal Format* – Submission Deadline: March, 17, 2009
Daily Sub-themes (Please tick one):
(Day 1) - Healing, Peace-building and Unity
(Day 2) – Women’s Movement Building in a Diverse Society
(Day 3) - Men For Gender Equality
Title of presentation: _________________________________________________________________
Presenters (names of individuals or organizations): ___________________________________________
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Contact Person: ___________________________________________________________________
Affiliation: ________________________________________________________________________
Contact Information: _______________________________________________________________
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Telephone: ______________________________________________________________________
Email: ____________________ ____________________ Website: ___________________________
Length of presentation: ____________________ Language/s of presentation: _________________
Will you provide translation?: Yes____________________ No_____________________________
Brief description (* Please use provided space only.)
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Multiple submissions are welcome; each submission must have separate proposal. Cooperative/joint proposals by multiple organizations/networks will receive preference.