Mathare Workshop
World March of women -Kenya has been organizing community based meetings with the sole purpose of lobbying and advocacy, while popularizing the March at the grass-roots constituencies. So far world March of women Kenya has held progressive meetings gearing towards 2010 global actions in Huruma, Korogocho, Kibera, Mathare, Soweto, Kendu bay, Taita, Kangemi, Turkana, and still gorowing stronger. From the 5 Values of the International WMW, which are Peace, freedom, justice, Equality and solidarity, Solidarity seems to be the pillar of the Kenya NCB. We are planing to hold activities during the 2 phases of global actions in 2010. The period between March 8th – March 18, a series of activities have been planned and a time table already scheduled awaiting availability of funds.
The period October 17, there will be global actions and demonstrations in solidarity with our sisters and brothers in war torn parts of the world, and these simultanoeus actions will happen in various countries with a meeting point in Bukavu, South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Con.
World March of women ya is also part of this arrangements.
Planned Actions for the coming years 2009 – 2011
2009
This year, as a National Coordinating body (Kenyan NCB), we are organizing ourselves in terms of domesticating the International demands of the WMW, while building and identifying our selves as people of a movement. We have been doing this through the informal trainings that have been conducted at the Constituency level in the communities. So far we have conducted 2 trainings in two constituencies in Nairobi, Which is Huruma (Madoya slums) in Starehe Constituency, and Kinyago (Majengo) in Kamukunji constituency. Our next training will be in Mathare (Mlango Kubwa), then Kibera (Kianda) respectively as we move on.
We have also successfully organised events around women issues like joining the rest of the world in celebrating The International Support Women Artists Now (SWAN) day, which was generously supported by Center for Multi Party Democracy (CMD-Kenya) and the Fund for Women Artists (USA)
We have been able to organise for a successful Prayer March that took place on the 3rd of March 2009, in solidarity with our sisters and brothers who perished in both the Nakumatt and Molo fire tragedies, while demanding the resettlement of the many families that are still languishing in the IDP camps which are being closed for being the government’s “eye soars”. This was our first March as an NCB, and it was very successful.
We have been organizing around the international calendar, and on the 8th March, we collaborated with organisations like DUAFE, Wangu Kanja foundation and the women in Lakisama in organizing an event in Baba Dogo on International Women’s day.
The WMW-Kenya continues coordinating twice a month meetings for its members, and bi-monthly training in the communities. Some of the approaches used in the training include video advocacy, the use of songs and other interactive mediums that are proving to be easily accepted by the community.
Towards 2010 Global Actions
Being “on the March” expresses the idea of moving ahead freely, without constraints and impediments, to express the strength of women organised collectively in associations, groups, and movements. In addition, it expresses strength derived from the fact that we are women with experiences, political cultures and diverse ethnicities but who have a common identity which is to overcome the current unjust order that provokes violence and poverty. Part of our identity is also International solidarity and the fact that we are attentive to what happens to our sisters in other parts of the world.
In 2010, we will make our voices heard with greater force around the world from March 8th to October 17th 2010. Our World actions will be organised around two prominent moments
i) The period from March 8th -18th, with regional Marches of different types, forms, colors and rhythms that will also mark the 100 –year anniversary of the Declaration of International Women’s Day.
ii) Simultaneous Marches and actions on October 17th with an International meeting point in Sud Kivu, Congo, as a way to strengthen women’s protagonism in the resolution of conflicts.
The 2010 actions will develop around the four action areas of the WMW
a) Common good
b) Peace and Demilitarization
c) Women’s Work
d) Violence against Women
Formats for Action
Each National Coordinating body (NCB) is free to define the formats they feel is best for 2010 action. Some ideas that are already being prepared include:
- 10 –day Marches with pre –arranged routes in one direction
- Bus and Train Caravans with actions planned for stops along routes
- Artistic and cultural activities such as film exhibitions, theatrical presentations, workshops on creating instruments, posters, and other activities to encourage debate on the action areas of the March
- Local organization of demonstrations in Support of actions carried out by the WMW in other countries and regions.
- Carry out actions in front of companies that produce arms, diplomatic representatives in countries that sell arms and United Nations building.
- Campaigns to boycott products of multinationals associated with exploitation and war
The 9th World Social Forum in Africa
The 9th WSF will be held in Africa once again in January 2011, in Dakar –Senegal. As WMW – Kenya, Plans are already underway to ensure some of the members attend this forum. We would like to mobilize resources to have as many women participate in the forum. The idea of meeting other progressive social groups and movements build individuals while empowering them. As an NCB, we are encouraging the women to start the early processes of acquiring important documents like birth certificates, which some do not see as important having, but will help in the smooth acquisition of International travel documents. We have also started looking into ways of mobilizing resources amongst ourselves and are thinking of printing t-shirts, caps, bags, and badges for sale in support of the 9th WSF travel kitty for indigenous women. We are also looking into possibilities of holding dinners, tea parties, and a cultural festival in support of the same.
