Recent Activities
The Center for Gender Equity and Empowerment has recently carried out the following activities
1. 11th February 2021- Kenyatta University, Centre for Gender Equity and Empowerment in collaboration with Kenyatta University Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) club and the office of the Gender Secretary Kenyatta University Students Association (KUSA) celebrated the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. The day is celebrated annually on 11th February since 2015. The event was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly to promote full and equal access to participation in science for women and girls. The celebration is a reminder that women and girls play a critical role in science and technology and that their participation should be strengthened. The day is also celebrated to give visibility to the women scientists who have made a difference in STEM fields and to encourage young and upcoming female scientists to look beyond the gender stereotypes and embrace STEM careers. The celebration is normally led by UNESCO and UN-Women, in collaboration with institutions and civil society partners that promote women and girls' access to and participation in science. This year’s theme was “Women Scientists at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19.’’ The guest speaker, Prof. Jane Catherine Ngila, Ag. Executive Director, The African Academy of Sciences, spoke under the topic “Innovation and Technology in the New Era.”
2. 28th January 2021 – The Kenyatta University Women’s Economic Empowerment hub (KU-WEE) was launched at the Amphitheatre. KU-WEE hub Project which is under the Centre for Gender Equity and Empowerment aims to build evidence on gender equality to guide policy makers, donors and civil societies for transformative policies in WEE in Kenya. The event was attended by Kenyatta University’s partners in the project namely: Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and Tharaka Nithi County. The KU-WEE Hub was officially launched by Prof. Margaret Kobia, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Public Service and Gender.
3. 24th November, 2020 - The Center for Gender Equity and Empowerment held a virtual gender sensitization seminar on the Gender Policy and the Sexual & Gender Based Violence (SGBV) Policy for new members of staff.
4. 19th November, 2020 - The Center for Gender Equity and Empowerment virtually celebrated the International Men’s Day as a way to implement measures to support gender mainstreaming and youth empowerment. International Men’s Day seeks to address many different issues surrounding men and boys. Some of the issues include: The high male suicide rate across the world; Male violence, and the fact that males are also victims to things such as rape, sexual exploitation and domestic violence; the challenges faced by men as parents, especially as single parents and male survivors of violence or abuse, including domestic abuse. The guest speaker Prof. Fuchaka Waswa, of the School of Agriculture & Enterprise Development spoke on the theme; “Making a Positive Difference to the Wellbeing and Lives of Men and Boys”.
5. 9th October, 2020 – The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (B&MGF) Project was officially announced and established at Kenyatta University by the Vice Chancellor, Prof Paul K. Wanaina. The project aims to ensure that interested parties such as relevant ministries and departments, county governments, policy leaders (legislators and policy makers) implementing agencies and donors utilize policy evidence to shape policies, programmes, interventions, and advocacy efforts related to supporting women’s economic empowerment (WEE) in Kenya.
6. 18th September 2020 – A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (B&MGF) and Kenyatta University to establish Women’s Economic Empowerment (KU-WEE) Hub for “Initiatives for What Works for Women’s Economic Empowerment (IWWWEE)” in Kenya after receiving a grant from the Foundation. This is a 5-year project where the team is expected to provide evidence from research to help stakeholders utilize it to shape policies, programmes and advocacy efforts supporting WEE in Kenya.
7. 28th August 2020 - Kenyatta University, Centre for Gender Equity and Empowerment (CGEE) in collaboration with Women Educational Researchers of Kenya (WERK) launched a prototype and guidelines on Safe Work Spaces for Women at Kenyatta University. This prototype aims to help in easing the reporting of SGBV and draws attention to the urgent need to eliminate sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) especially against women staff, students and other vulnerable groups on campuses. The prototype is in form of a mobile application available on Android Devices from Google Play via the link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ke.ac.ku.sgbv. The App anonymously, efficiently and securely report SGBV cases to CGEE, who then analyses data and provide reports on submitted cases for further investigation. Its main features are: - Reporting - via the App or via SMS Short code; Get Help: Gives information on General Safety of members of KU; Hotlines: Provides contact information where one can get help and News: To inform users of any news from the Centre.
8. 21st August, 2020 - Kenyatta University, Centre for Gender Equity and Empowerment in collaboration with Women Educational Researchers of Kenya (WERK) held a virtual workshop to “pilot intervention on co-creation of safe work environment for women staff at Kenyatta university main campus: an action research and prototype development research” at Kenyatta University main campus.
9. 14th August, 2020 - Kenyatta University, Centre for Gender Equity and Empowerment in collaboration with Women Educational Researchers of Kenya (WERK) held a virtual validation workshop for the “pilot intervention on co-creation of safe work environment for women staff at Kenyatta University main campus: an action research and prototype development. The workshop tracked a successful first phase of the Safe Work Space Initiative that involved data collection and analysis undertaken virtually between May and July 2020 at Kenyatta University Main Campus. The main purpose of the preliminary intervention was to develop a prototype of safe spaces for female university staff (professional and non-professional) in Kenyan universities using Kenyatta University (KU) to test the concept.
The Center for Gender Equity and Empowerment has recently carried out the following activities
- 28th -30th November, 2018- The Director, Prof. Grace Wamue-Ngare attended the Side By Side - Faith Movement For Gender Justice East Africa host Regional Conference Nairobi, Kenya, where she disseminated the Tamar Campaign as a Tool and Model for addressing Gender Based Violence. New Partnerships were explored and exploited.
- 8th -10th November 2018- The Director, Prof. Grace Wamue-Ngare attended the planning meeting in Belgium for the competitive EU-Africa research and innovation partnership on food and nutritional security and sustainable agriculture (LEAP-Agri 2017. She is the gender expertise in the project entitled” Phenotyping the Banana Biodiversity to identify Climate Smart Varieties with Optimal Market Potential in Africa (CLISMABAN).
- 7th November, 2018 : The Center staff, together with a group of students participated in theMyPlanApp dissemination workshop organized by Ujamaa Africa at the Kenya School of Monetary at the KCB Sports ground Ruaraka . MyPlan App is an innovative tool to support University students with safety decision making techniques on relationships and sexual health.
- 11th October 2018: Kenyatta University celebrated the International Day of the Girl Child. This event is marked every year all over the world. At KU, the climax saw the launch of Somesha Msichana initiative heralded by H.E. Mrs. Rael Ruto, who was also chief gust to the event. Others who participated in the event were the Member of the National Assembly for Kerinyaga County (also Chairperson for The Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA) Hon Wangui Ngirichi) and Hon Esther Passaris, Member of the National Assembly for Nairobi County.
- On 27th September, 2018: Sensitized new students on Gender Policy and Sexual and Gender Based Violence Policy
- 24th - 26th September 2018, The former Director – Dr. Florence K. Nyamu together with HeForShe Committee Chair and DVC Administration- Prof. Fatuma Chege attended the Impact Lab meeting for University HeForShe Impact Champion in New York, USA. The two-day meeting was guided staff from the UN Women. The discussions focused on presentations from every University Champions on what achievements they have had so far and template for reporting progress on the high impact actions which are:
- Attain 45% representation of female academic staff, administrative staff and senior leadership positions by 2022.
- Ensure that gender is mainstreamed into existing structures and platforms.
- Reinvigorate existing structures to prevent report, predict and deal with gender-based violence in all campuses of Kenyatta University.
- 8th March, 2018, Kenyatta University Celebrated the International Women’s Day. The achievements of the women and heroes celebrated on this day boost the confidence of many women and encourage other women to dream and work towards achieving their dreams.
- 17th February 2018, The Center in collaboration with KUGAM (Kenyatta University Gender Action Movement and KUSA (Kenyatta University Students Association) sensitized the general public and Kenyatta University Community on Impact 10X10X10 HeForShe Champion during career week at Kenyatta University. IMPACT 10x10x10 HeForShe Programme is a campaign for gender equality and women’s empowerment initiated by UN Women in 2014. More than 200 signatures were collected on a white cotton cloth and visitor’s book.
