Women's Rights
We empower women and girls living in poverty and exclusion
to challenge violence and secure political participation.
In the quest for a violence-free environment for women and girls living in poverty and exclusion, we work to establish and strengthen the women and girls, their institutions and solidarity groups to challenge VAW/G in both public and private spaces. Violence against women and girls can take many forms, like sexual and gender-based violence, unpaid care work and denial of other basic rights like the right to education.
We work with children in school (both boys and girls) to challenge VAW/G through education and advocacy activities like school clubs and build solidarity with religious and cultural leaders and institutions to challenge VAW/G. We continue to mobilise women and girls living in poverty and exclusion, their institutions and solidarity groups to monitor and influence the implementation of laws and policies (Protection against Domestic Violence Act, Prohibition of FGM Act, and Sexual Offences Act) that respond to VAW/G.
In Kenya, there still is a challenge of the exclusion of women and girls from leadership and decision-making positions. In response to this, ActionAid is facilitating basic political education for women living in poverty and exclusion to build their self-efficacy to position themselves for leadership in various platforms. We are mobilising women and youth movements to demand the implementation of the not more than 2/3 gender rule in elective and appointive positions as enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Kenya (2010).