The Kenyan Chapter of the World March of Women Calls for a Peaceful Referendum

Aug 3rd, 2010 by Mars Group Kenya

PRESS STATEMENT

The Kenyan Chapter of the World March of Women Calls for a Peaceful Referendum

World March of Women – Kenya Chapter is part of the International women’s Movement   that connects grassroots groups and organizations working to eliminate the causes at the root of poverty and violence against Women. While struggling against all forms of inequality and discrimination directed at Women, our values and actions are directed at making political, economic and social change. Our values are Solidarity, Equality, Freedom, Justice and Peace.

We, the World March of Women –Kenyan Chapter, hereby state as follows:

Acknowledging

i) That Kenya belongs to all Kenyans

ii) That all Kenyans must  co-exist peacefully

iii) Whenever there is chaos in Kenya, women suffer the blunt of the consequences

iv) In the past, Kenyan women have not stood in solidarity with each other

v) That women have previously not been very vocal on issues of preventing violence

vi) That all Kenyan Citizens were brought into the world by a woman and

vii) That any loss of life or  limb brings grief, pain and deep sorrow to a woman

Respecting the fact that every Kenyan has a right to exercise her/his democratic right of choosing how the country should be governed through the vote

Believing that the women of Kenya are the backbone of this nation, Call upon;-

• All Kenyans to ensure that the forthcoming referendum is peaceful.

• All Kenyan women wherever they are reach out to each other by holding hands as a gesture of solidarity as women for peace.

• All women to ask their spouses, sons and neighbours to remain peaceful and demonstrate respect, tolerance and accommodate each other’s opinion.  Kenya is greater than all of us and we all belong here where we should be proud of our diversity and the ability to participate in a peaceful exercise of our democratic rights.

Whenever Kenya has experienced political unrest, it is we the women who have suffered more. It is we the women whose homes have been broken. It is we the women who are left to nurse our sons and husbands. It is we the women who have lost our precious husbands, sons and daughters.  It is we the women who are raped. It is our children who are defiled. It is we the women who have to carry the burden of the wrath of our neighbours who think we participated in one way or the other and it is we the women who have to carry the guilt of our sons, daughters and husbands as we nurse their broken egos.

We World March of Women Kenyan Chapter are NOT going to sit back and watch.  We call upon the police to ensure that there is security and the rule of law prevails.

We ask all Kenyans to remain vigilant and watch out for those who may want to use this historic moment to cause mayhem or unrest.

We thank the International Secretariat of the World March of Women and all the other International chapters for standing in solidarity with the Women of Kenya during this historic moment

Issued at Nairobi, 3^rd August 2010

Kenyan National Coordinating Body

1. Florence Keya
2. Deborah Kayalo
3. Sophie Dola
4. Tafle Omar
5. Jackline Wangare
6. Jayne Mati
7. Damaris Toboso
8. Ann Apiyo
9. Ann Ngatia
10. Jane Anyango
11. Beatrice Kamau
12. Ruth Vulimu

Video of Statement here

Download the statement here

IMPROVE MATERNAL HEALTH: IS ACHIEVING MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL FIVE (MDG 5) ELUDING KENYA?

Press Release: World March Of Women Kenya Chapter To Present On Thurday 19th August 2010 A Petition For Action To Kenya Parliament On Millennium Development Goal 5 To Improve Maternal Health And Prevent Deaths Of Mothers And Children From Preventable Diseases

Aug 18th, 2010 by Mars Group Kenya

PRESS RELEASE

MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL 5 : IMPROVE MATERNAL HEALTH IN KENYA.

ACTION BY PETITIONING PARLIAMENT TO INCREASE THE BUDGET ALLOCATION TO MATERNAL HEALTH CARE & PREVENTION OF DEATHS OF KENYAN MOTHERS AND CHILDREN FROM PREVENTABLE DISEASES.

We the world March of women Kenyan chapter;

Undertaking the role of motherhood with pride that it disserves,;

Honouring our mother country with our God given productive role

Acknowledging that;

• Kenya has just passed a new constitution that recognises reproduction health as a basic right for every Kenyan,
• That Kenya is a signatory to the 5^th millennium goal ‘to improve maternal health’
• Kenya pledged to increase health sector allocations by upto 15% of government expenditure in Abuja and reconfirmed its commitment at the AU summit in Kampala in July 2010
• Kenya committed itself to invest more in community health workers

Respecting the fact that even though complication of pregnancy cannot always be prevented, deaths can be averted if women receive proper medical care

Recognising that the government is the custodian of our consolidated fund and parliament is responsible for proper budgetary allocations

Believing that the women of Kenya are the backbone of this nation call upon;

• Kenyan government to honour its pledge to the women of Kenya.
• Parliament to increase allocations to the health sector and more specifically to maternal health care and preventable diseases.
• Parliament to establish a select committee to look into maternal and child deaths.
• Parliament to identify funds within the National budget which can be re-allocated to immediate needs for maternal health.
• Parliament to celebrate international women’s day and international Children’s day as official parliamentary occasions in solidarity with all women and children of Kenya.

Tomorrow, Thursday, 19^th August 2010, World march of Women Kenya Chapter together with our partners and networks will commence action towards advocating for improved maternal health and prevention of deaths of Kenyan women and children from preventable diseases.

We will present the petition to parliament at 10.00 a.m on thursday 19^th August 2010 and thereafter announce the launch of our online international campaign to collect ten million signatures worldwide in solidarity with all the countries that are committed to achieving millennium development goal No.5

Issued on Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at Nairobi Kenya, by the

World March of Women – Kenya Coordinating Body

1.       Anne Ngatia

2.       Lydiah Dola

3.       Anne Apiyo

4.       Beatrice Kamau

5.       Jayne Mati

6.       Deborah Kayalo Sagasi

7.       Ruth Vulimu Limo

8.       Jackline Wangare

9.       Damaris  Toboso

10.     Florence Keya

11.     Betty Sang

12.     Tafle Omar

13.     Jane Onyango

14.     Mumbi Njau

15.    Sophie D. Ogutu

PUBLIC PETITION

Pursuant to Standing Order 205 (2)

SUBJECT MATTER: BUDGETARY ALLOCATION FOR MATERNAL HEALTH CARE AND FOR PREVENTING DEATHS OF KENYAN MOTHERS AND CHILDREN FROM PREVENTABLE DISEASES

To The National Assembly of Kenya

We, the undersigned

Petitioners are Citizens of the Republic of Kenya and wish to

Draw the attention of the House to the following:

In 2001, Kenya along with other African countries pledged at Abuja to increase allocation to the health sector up to 15% of government expenditure.

This pledge was repeated again in the recently concluded African Union Summit in Kampala, 19 to 27 July 2010;

African leaders including Kenyan have pledged to invest more in community health workers and re-committed to meeting the Abuja target. In the meantime, national budget allocations to health remain far below this target.

The Kenya budget for the fiscal year 2010-11 allocated slightly over Kenya shillings 55 billion to both ministries of Medical Services and Public Health and Sanitation. This is approximately 5.5 percent of the total Government of Kenya expenditure. About 41 percent of this allocation went to the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, which is responsible for primary health care including maternal health care up to Level 3 (health centre). Considering that this allocation translates to about 2.3 percent of total GOK expenditure, it is apparent that extremely little will be available for maternal health services.

In our view, this level of investment (about 2.3 percent of total GOK expenditure allocated to primary health care) does not reflect a strong government commitment to achieving MDG5 by 2015; it does not demonstrate high prioritization of maternal and newborn death prevention and reduction among the national priorities.

Further, 480 children die every day from preventable disease

THEREFORE your humble petitioners PRAY that Parliament

1. Resolve to urge the Government to fulfil its commitment to increase allocation to the health sector up to 15% of government expenditure within the current Financial Year, In addition, the Government should ensure more funds are channeled to maternal health services.

2. Resolve to establish a select Committee to look into Maternal and child deaths and working with experts to identify funds within the National Budget which can be reallocated to meet the target commitment.

3. Resolve to celebrate International Women’s Day and International Children’s Day as official parliamentary occasions in solidarity with all women and Children of Kenya

And your PETITIONERS will ever pray

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 8^th 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 8^th to October 17^th 2010. Our World actions will be organised around two prominent moments

i)                    The period from March 8^th -18^th, 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 17^th 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 9^th World Social Forum in Africa

The 9^th 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 9^th 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.

CALL TO THE THIRD INTERNATIONAL ACTION

In 2010, we – activists of the World March of Women from all five continents – will be on the march once more. We will march to demonstrate our perseverance and our strength as collectively organised women with diverse experiences, political cultures and ethnic backgrounds, but with a common identity and goal: the desire to overthrow the current, unjust world order that provokes violence and poverty, and to construct the world we want based on peace, justice, equality, freedom and solidarity.We will march in solidarity with those women who do not have the freedom to do so as a result of war and conflict; the sexual division of work that maintains women prisoners in their own homes; the capitalist and patriarchal systems that determine that the public sphere – the streets, the workplace, spaces of learning, spaces of leisure activity – is the reserve of men; and the lack of time women have, as they juggle their responsibilities as primary care-givers.We will march to demand our rights. We will march to resist those who would seek to take away the rights we have already gained in our struggle against the offensive of religious fundamentalisms and conservative sectors of society and the State. We will be on the march for the world we want, in which autonomy, self-determination and solidarity are the pillars of the organisation of our societies. We will march in the struggle against the commodification of our lives, sexuality and bodies. We are not objects to be bought and sold! We refuse to be treated as pieces of meat for the pornography, trafficking and advertising industries! We will not accept violence in our homes and workplaces. We will be on the march until all women lead lives free of violence and threat of violence. We will march to denounce the sexist, racist, homophobic capitalist system that exploits the daily reproductive and productive work of women while concentrating riches in the hands of the few. We demand equal pay for equal work, a fair minimum wage, the reorganisation and sharing of care-work and social security, all without discrimination of any kind. We will be on the march until all women achieve economic autonomy. We will march for the immediate end to conflict and to the use of women’s bodies as spoils of war. We will march to demonstrate the economic interests behind conflict – the control of natural resources, the control of peoples, the profit of the arms industry. We will be on the march until women are recognised and valorised as protagonists of peace and reconstruction processes, and in the maintenance of active peace in their countries. We will march in our fight against the privatization of natural resources and public services. We will march for food and energy sovereignty, and against the destruction and control of our territories and false solutions to climate change. We will be on the march until our rights to health care, education, drinkable water, sanitation, land, housing, and autonomy over our traditional seeds have been fulfilled.

Click to read the complete call and to know how to join us in our Action!