The national women’s conference on the constitution has endorsed the draft constitution dismissing calls by politicians and church leaders to reject the document at the referendum.

Led by the Gichugu MP Martha Karua, the women vowed to safeguard the gains they stand to enjoy once it is passed into law as outlined in the draft document.

The women were speaking at a national conference on the constitution at Bomas of Kenya. They called on Kenyans to read the draft law once it is published by the AG to avoid being misguided by falsehoods from those opposing it.

The Church is against the section of Article 26, which empowers doctors to end a pregnancy only if it endangers the woman’s life or she needs emergency treatment, terming it as an indirect way of legalizing abortion. The section reads: “Abortion is not permitted unless, in the opinion of a trained health professional, there is need for emergency treatment, or the life or health of the mother is in danger, or if permitted by any other law.”

With the debate on the draft constitution becoming increasingly politicized women must make their voices heard in order to safeguard the gains therein.

Although the proposed constitution does not take into consideration all the rights women would have wanted included, the bill of rights has a gender perspective to it that promotes gender equality.

Should the draft be passed into law, women will have the right to equally own property without being discriminated against by law, customs and practices related to land and property during and on the end of marriage.

It also entrenches the Kenya National Human Rights and Equality Commission in protecting gender and human rights and freedoms.

The draft also captures the principle of “no more than two thirds of one gender” in elective and appointive public positions. Where constitutional commissions and two independent offices are set up, the chairperson and vice chairperson shall not be of the same gender.

On the other hand the proposed Senate shall have sixteen women out of the proposed forty-seven seats, and an additional two seats by women representing the disabled and the youth bringing the total women’s seats to eighteen, thus marginally meeting the affirmative action 30 per cent threshold.