Electoral Duty Bearers Sensitization Forum – Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County

On 19th August 2020, CEEC with support from GIZ held a sensitization forum for 11 electoral duty bearers on promoting women’s leadership at Simba Village, Eldoret. The forum was part of the project “Combating Electoral Gender Based Violence through Positive Masculinities and Femininities in Burnt Forest’”, aimed at building the capacity of electoral duty bearers’ to discharge their mandate in a more gender responsive manner. The forum was attended by representatives from the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties (ORPP), the National Police Service (NPS), Media (Royal Media Services, TV 47 and KASS FM) and Political Parties (the Jubilee Party, ODM, KANU and CCM). The forum provided a platform for the duty bearers to be sensitized on how they can integrate gender concerns in their work. This was in view of the fact that the duty bearers have been indicted for perpetuating women’s rights violation in the political space through commission or omission thus contributing to lack of gender inclusivity in political leadership. The forum facilitated an understanding of the role of socialization within a highly patriarchal culture as the underlying cause of women’s poor performance in politics. The duty bearers realized how they, being a product of a flawed socialization process, have internalized and perpetuate gender stereotypes in the course of their work. They committed to advocate for women’s leadership by sensitizing men and women on the importance of gender inclusive leadership using existing avenues within their work places and shining a spotlight on gains made by women in leadership in order to bring about a shift in mind-set.