CEEC with support from GIZ conducted a training of women leaders on Combating Electoral Gender Based Violence through Positive Masculinities and Femininities, on 27th – 30th January 2020 at the Deliverance Church in Burnt Forest, Uasin Gishu County. The four days’ training brought together a total of 30 women leaders from eight farms in Burnt Forest namely, Lingway, Kamuyu, Rukuini, Kaplalach, Ndungulu, Chuiyat, Barekeiywo and Kagongo participate. The training was in response to the poor representation of women in leadership in general and specifically in the political space. In addition, most women in the said region are not free to exercise their democratic right of voting for candidates of their choice. CEEC’s assessment of the dynamics on the ground pointed to flawed masculinities and femininities grounded in a deeply entrenched patriachal culture as the root cause of the problem. This is the background against which the project is being implemented with a view of promoting healthier Masculinities and Femininities as a way of Curbing Electoral Gender Based Violence. Hopefully this will enhance women’s leadership in general. Participants got insights on gender, masculinities/femininities, how male disempowerment contributes to electoral gender based violence and how women themselves hinder their own and other women’s prospects of getting into leadership due to their internalization of patriarchy. The trainees pledged to play a key role of engaging and mobilizing the community to embrace women’s leadership. It is CEEC’s hope that this will translate in more women vying for and hopefully succeeding in getting elective leadership positions in the 2022 General Election.
Combating Electoral Gender Based Violence Through Positive Masculinities and Femininities in Burnt Forest, Uasin Gishu County
