BY :RACHEL GATEI ON 2ND APRIL 2014 What is Gender Mainstreaming? • Is a strategy for achieving gender equality
• Strategy to end gender blindness in devpt process.
• Ensures women & men, have equal access to &
control over resources, opportunities & benefits at all levels. Govt Position on gender mainstreaming • Government of Kenya is committed to promotion of gender equality through several global and regional instruments, conventions, resolutions and declarations e.g. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW),1981. The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 1995 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly Goal No.1& 3 (Eradication of poverty, G/ Equality and women’s Empowerment ). Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa -2003 The AU Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa- 2004 Vision 2030 and Medium Term Plan (2008 – 2012 National Policy on Gender & Devt,2000 Presidential Directive on 30% A.A. for women Establishment of Maendeleo ya Wanaume (MAWE) 2012 an organization to deal with the rights of men and boy child CHALLENGES TO GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN KENYA • Inadequate political will • Poor funding of gender activities • Misconceptions about gender in government and in society (culture) • Inadequate skilled manpower in Gender Mainstreaming • Lack of gender sensitive indicators in plans, and in M&E reports. • Sensitize staff in gender mainstreaming • Lack of gender sensitive budgets • Lack of gender audits to verify prog. expenditure vs benefits and impacts on men and women Common definitions in gender mainstreaming • Gender? It is the social construction of roles, responsibilities and behavior patterns assigned to men and women
• What is gender equity?
• Fairness or level playing field, where fair treatment is accorded to both men and women.
• Who is a Gender Officer? is the officer who will oversee the
running of all Gender mainstreaming issue s and is the contact person between the Board and Parent Ministry on all issues pertaining to Gender Mainstreaming.
• What is a Gender Committee: is the team that will handle
all gender mainstreaming issues and is drawn from all departments in KDB Gender mainstreaming in Kenya Dairy Board. • History : Gender committee identified and constituted in 2009 at KDB – Developed first edition of Gender policy
• Committee was reconstituted in 2013
comprising members drawn from all departments. Purpose of G-Mainstreaming in KDB • To ensure commitment and inclusion of all staff of either sex in decision making • To ensure that company policy on hiring staff is gender sensitive • To outline the organizations expectations and requirements to maintaining a gender sensitive work environment • "To be responsible for translating gender mainstreaming into practice throughout the Boards operations by management confirming support at the highest lever and to be held accountable for any outcomes that may require constant monitoring.. • To ensure that there is a clear management support and the allocation of adequate and, if need be, additional human and financial resources for gender mainstreaming from all available funding sources are important for the successful translation of the concept into practice • Building commitment and capacity within the Boards 15 Stations. Role of Management • Integrate a gender perspective into all training programs • Provide continuous gender training for all staff, including those at the highest levels; • Provide special training for gender experts to enhance their skills; • Ensure that specialized gender expertise is available to them; • Coordinate their training efforts through a system-wide evaluation of the impact of gender-training. • Ensure commitment towards an organization based on equality and respect for human rights irrespective of sex. • Management levels should be responsible for developing accountability mechanisms to monitor progress with mainstreaming. One means of ensuring accountability is to establish clear indicators of progress, which will be monitored over time by management • Recruitment/ vacancies should be made available equally for females and males . Role of Staffs • All staffs are guaranteed that they will be; • Provided copies of the gender policy to read and understand the expectations highlighted and follow them • Provided with requisite tools for carrying out their respective responsibilities as prescribed • All staffs are guaranteed equal pay based on grading • All staffs are guaranteed paid leave as prescribed in the terms and conditions of service. • All staffs irrespective of sex are legible for training where necessary • All staffs are expected to treat one another with respect Role of Gender Committee • Development of Gender policy that is in line with expectations highlighted in the national gender and development policy to guide mainstreaming activities. • In conjunction with HR & Admin drive the implementation of work place policy on gender based violence and gender issues. • Continuously train and sensitize staff on gender mainstreaming • Submit quarterly progress reports to National Gender and Equality Commission on the level of gender mainstreaming Challenges of Gender mainstreaming • Inadequate number of committee member composition • Inadequate participation by staff in gender issues • Non inclusion of gender mainstreaming in budget preparation • Perception that gender issues affect women only • Sidelining of emerging issues that affect men (brainstorm session to identify issues) • May have a policy that is good in theory but isn't practical Achievements in Gender Mainstreaming in KDB • Timely submission of quarterly reports • Management commitment to ensuring gender mainstreaming is effective • Trained gender committee members • Development of Gender policy • Development of Gender based violence policy • Development of educational brochures Questions & Answers • The End