April 3, 2008

As Kenya works towards getting back on its footing after the chaos that rocked the country soon after the announcement of results from the December 27 disputed presidential elections, it was vital to acknowledge the formidable role that women in Kenya and outside have played and continued to play in bringing back sanity and tranquility in the country. Their role had been formidable and could not be underestimated.

To help in the diagnosis on the role of women in Kenya’s reconciliation and peace building process, The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) supported a television debate on this issue. The debate was transmitted on KTN’s “News line” after the 9pm news and was moderated by Beatrice Marshal.

This debate contributed to a critical analysis in understanding the unique potential Kenyan women have and the challenges they face in their endeavours to contribute to national reconciliation and peace building.

It recognised that women’s contribution to peace and reconciliation in Kenya has been considerable and in many cases unprecedented. At the grassroots level women’s various initiatives to cope with the post election challenges opened up windows of opportunity for rebuilding trust among families and reconciling former enemies.

The debate further recognised that since December 27, there are thousands of women who are victims of rape, trauma, physical injuries, and above all whose social trust dissolved. Abject poverty is still high and it is affecting mainly women from the rural areas. High rates of HIV/Aids and other infectious diseases coupled with limited health facilities remain high. This state is critical in the IDP camps. This situation has had an impact not only on the mental health of women but also their physical well-being.

Of the survivors of the election violence across the country, women are the majority who now experience serious economic deprivation. The level of mistrust among the families of those who survived the violence and those whose relatives are suspected to have committed the violence is still high and deep rooted.