GENERATION EQUALITY FORUM/ WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT/ KENYA/ UN WOMEN
What Next for Generation Equality?
Governments, corporations, philanthropists, and civil society convened June 30th -July 2nd for The Generation Equality Forum to make commitments to accelerate the pace of achieving gender equality in the next 5 years. Janet Mbugua, founder of Inua Dada Foundation, media personality & hive Project Lead, and Katie Harrison, hive Co-Founder discuss their top takeaways from the Forum and what we can do to ensure accountability on the commitments made.
Katie Harrison: Congratulations on moderating the Action Coalition on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) at the Generation Equality Forum! It’s been a few days since the event- upon reflection, what did this moment and the commitments you heard mean to you?
Janet Mbugua: It was such a pleasure to moderate a session at GEF and be a part of history. Across the globe, gender-based violence rose exponentially during the pandemic- so much so that it’s been dubbed the “shadow pandemic”. Before the pandemic, the statistics were concerning with 1 in 3 women around the world having an experience with GBV. It’s been estimated that rates increased by 33% in some countries this past year (UN Women).
This felt like an important moment because world leaders, activists, and NGOs, all made commitments to not let this issue live in the shadows any longer. It won’t be ignored and we are taking concrete steps to ensure women and girls feel the safety they deserve.
Katie: As part of that session, the Kenyan government made a commitment of $23 million USD by 2022 with resource allocation up to $50 million USD by 2026 to end gender-based violence in all forms. Can you speak a bit about the work that’s been done in Kenya to get us to this moment?
Janet: So much hard work has been done by incredible organizations and we’re pleased Kenya is playing a key leadership role on this important issue. There has been a chorus of voices demanding action on GBV and, as you know, our #Better4Kenya project is proud to be part of that group. During 16 Days of Activism against GBV in November 2020, we lead the #16toZero campaign to call on the government to declare a zero-tolerance policy and an action plan on GBV. In parallel, I lent my voice to the issue through Inua Dada and in partnership with Plan International to produce #ReWriteHerStory, a series of conversations with survivors of GBV to break down stigma and show what needs to be done on the ground to help real women. As I said during the session on July 1, behind all these numbers, these statistics, are real women.
Katie: Other than the significant commitments on gender-based violence, what major commitments stood out to you from the forum overall?
Janet: The commitments on women’s unpaid care work and economic support really hit home- no pun intended. The pandemic has shone a light on the unequal distribution of labor at home and women’s work has been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. 13 million women left the workforce in 2020 and it’s estimated that an additional 2 million women will leave this year (Gates Foundation).
It’s great to see solutions put forward and commitments made that will reduce this burden on women and will eventually lead to equal pay and equal participation in the workforce- things that make not just women stronger, but communities, economies, families, really everyone, stronger.
Katie: I totally agree. Another area that really stood out to me, as well, were the commitments on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Bodily Autonomy. Especially the big financial commitment of $1.4 billion made by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (of their overall $2.1 billion commitment).
Janet: You’re absolutely right. It’s imperative that conversations on SRHR and family planning don’t happen in silos. That’s a critical part of achieving gender equality and it was inspiring to see so many leaders around the world advocate for women’s right to plan their own lives.
Katie: It was indeed great to see all these world leaders step up to the plate. It was also inspiring to hear not just from global leaders and big foundations but also from young people driving change in their communities. As for people like you and me, what can we do to help accelerate the pace of change on these issues?
Janet: This has been a huge focus of my work lately- and it really comes down to using your voice. Through our #YourVoiceMatters series with Equality Now and the #Ha2TaSita campaign from my Foundation Inua Dada, I’ve been working to showcase the power individual voices and actions can have to change norms and demand action in your home, your community, your country, and around the world. I’d encourage everyone, especially young people, to use their voices to keep talking about these issues, never letting them fall into the shadows again.
Katie: One point that struck me as particularly important coming out of the Forum is the demand for accountability. I know you were vocal about it and it rang loud and clear through all the sessions, we need accountability after the fact. Actions, not words. Can you speak a bit more about that?
Janet: This was absolutely my takeaway from this event and it’s fantastic to hear so many voices calling for the same outcome. That’s what I mean about using your voice- it can’t stop now.
It’s even more important, now that the commitments have been made, that we continue to speak up, demand delivery, and keep an eye out to make sure the next 5, 10, 25 years deliver progress so our children’s generation really can be Generation Equality.
Although we are celebrating Kenya’s historic commitment to GBV, we will be making sure that the government is transparent with their funding and ensuring that women and girls see the positive benefits that this groundbreaking policy set forward. The next step is accountability and everyone should follow @Better4Kenya to learn how they can use their voice and get involved over the next few months. Because GEF was just the beginning!
Katie: Thanks Janet for your and the hive #Better4Kenya team’s leadership on this issue and all the hard work leading up to the Forum. Excited to see what comes next and delivery on the commitments made. We all have a role to play in taking tangible action to build a gender-equal world.
#Better4Kenya
In partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, hive created #Better4Kenya to rally and unify a diverse collective of high-profile Kenyan Influencers with multiple NGOs around the notion that gender equality is not just a women’s issue — it is better for everyone. Families. The community. The economy. #Better4Kenya has generated millions of impressions on often-taboo topics like Menstrual Hygiene Management, Gender-Based Violence, Female Genital Mutilation, Family Planning, and Women’s Economic Empowerment.
Inua Dada
Inua Dada Foundation is a media and advocacy body that advocates for comprehensive allocation of resources towards young women. We do this by partnering with leading nonprofit organisations, philanthropies, and multilateral agencies to develop and implement impactful campaigns to realise Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) for all women.
