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Issue Number 08 • August 2010
It is time for Kenyan women to emulate their Sudanese counterparts …By Jane Godia
A
s Kenyans get ready for the referendum on August 4, many issues of concern have come up. One of the contentious issues is that of counties and devolved government. The Proposed Constitution calls for a devolved government that is expected to accelerate resources to the grassroots and make access to governance easily accessible. However, countries like Sudan that already have Federal Government in place claim that it has worked well for them and especially for the women.
Resolution 1325 Speaking in Kampala, Uganda at the conference to mark 10 years of the United Nations Security Resolution 1325, Ms Anisia Achieng from Southern Sudan looked at the situation of the Kenyan Constitution review process in the perspective. Achieng who works for the Women Peace Network Southern Sudan, says: “The good thing about a Federal system is that it has a state and two government systems as is the case for Sudan.” There is the Federal Republic of Sudan, the Government of Southern Sudan and the Government of Northern Sudan. The Federal Government came from the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed in 2005 that included the interim constitution, nation of Southern Sudan and the states. Sudan has 25 federal states. In Southern Sudan, there are 10 states complete with their constitution and parliament. In Southern Sudan, there is a national government structure with 32 ministries, out of which seven are headed by women. There are also Commissions such as that of Peace, Human Rights, Anti-Corruption, Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration Commission and Economic Commission among others. Achieng who is a resident of Equatorial State appreciates that the Federal Government has given visibility to women. Each state is headed by a governor with 12 ministries. “Out of these, three are headed by women which include the Ministry of Finance.,” says Achieng. She adds: “In lobbying, women should not look for small ministries but lobby for powerful ones. “It is important that women go for ministries where there are resources.”
Affirmative action In the Parliament of Equatorial Guinea, there are 42 seats and out of these are 12 women. While the Sudanese women have had the luxury of enjoying Affirmative Action right from the signing of the CPA, Kenyan women have been lagging behind in the region. The Proposed Constitution offers Kenyan women, for the first time an opportunity to at least one third of all elective positions. The Sudanese interim constitution calls for 25 percent women representative. It also allows for women’s seats that are not contestable and allows women with the might to contest for seats where they can. Achieng recalls the time immediately after signing of the CPA. “When the peace agreement was signed, ev-
eryone including the President was traumatised. As a women’s organisation we had to carry out training to disseminate the CPA so everybody could understand about wealth and power sharing for women to understand what was going on.” She adds: “We wanted women to understand how the 25 percent affirmative action would benefit them, We trained 40 trainers in one state.” The awareness creation has helped in Sudan where generally women have managed to penetrate what is normally male dominated. While the Ministry of Gender and Social development is headed by a woman, strong institution like Human Rights Commission and Anti-Corruption are also held by women. “These were not handed on a silver platter. They came through advocacy and lobbying, With the 32 ministries, there are seven female ministers and that is not bad for a beginning,” she reiterates.
level. The executives are elected by women from all the districts. “Through the women’s association there is a strong voice for women’s issues which can be lobbied to the State or the Ministry of Gender and these have been made possible by the Federal Government,” she reiterates. Achieng explains: “The good thing about the Federal Government is that it has the State and the two government systems. At the State level you have the Constitution, Parliament and Judiciary. There is no need for one to go to the capital city in Juba.” Affirmative Action has worked very well within the Federal System. The women have gained freedom of expression. They are being recognised in terms of their contribution in family, State and even drafting of the constitution (currently on going). There are women in government positions from as top as ministries.
Devolved government Achieng says the Federal Government has made access to services easy, especially for women who would have found it hard to travel to Juba or Khartoum to have their matters attended to. “The Federal government makes it easy to communicate. It is easy to formulate issues at the grassroots and convenient for one to communicate with the Member of Parliament,” she explains. “For the women there is only one the Ministry of Social Development at the national level. At state level, there is the Ministry of Gender and Social Development that is in Juba,” says Achieng. She explains: “All these ministries have commonalities. At the national level it is about lobbying donors. At the state level it is the implementation stage.” How the do the Sudanese women link with government institutions? At State level is the women’s association which is the umbrella union for women in civil society. One gets to the women through the umbrella organisation which is registered at State
Women representatives at the rally in Kibera cannot hide their joy after learning of the gains entrenched in the Proposed Constitution. Picture: Correspondent
The 25 percent women’s positions has not been used to the maximum although there are women directors at country level. There is also a good number of women lawyers in the Judiciary. There has been an increase in the number of women recruited into the police force but not at higher levels of decision making. There are also more women in the other disciplined forces. Women in the South are economically empowered and some of them own businesses such as hotels, depots for beers and they own huge trucks. Women are also controlling small restaurants. “This is very new to Sudan. In peace many women are leading reconciliation process though they are not in negotiation,” says Achieng. Sudan put down its arms five years ago. They signed a Comprehensive Peace Agreement that called for women to get 25 percent Affirmative Action. Many institutions are just being put in place and women are making gains, though small.
Culture
“Let the Kenyan women look at themselves as women and daughters. Let them get their voices heard. Kenyan women must allow the quota system and support all female aspirants to increase their numbers in leadership.” — Anisia Achieng, Sudan Women’s Voice for Peace
Deeply entrenched in culture and traditions, South Sudan had denied women many rights. However, the new government and laws are helping women get what they would normally be denied under the guise of culture. “Just about a month ago the Commission of Lands organised a review of the draft. They have given that women can now own and inherit land. The Sudanese are waiting for it to be passed in Parliament,” says Achieng. However, Sudan has not been without challenges. Illiteracy is a big problem, and even women ministers have low levels of literacy. “To be in decision making one must have a good understanding of what is legal and illegal,” reiterates Achieng. “Although we have a gender policy it has not been implemented because we have been concentrating on implementation of the CPA,” says Achieng.
Most women are in decision making and leadership positions because of Affirmative Action. She reiterates: “Women policy makers need empowerment to understand what is meant to be a law maker in Parliament.” Culture has also been a big hindrance to peace building and leadership. “Women are sometimes not invited or allowed to participate in issues of war, marriage or inheritance,” she says. Even the civil society organisations lack capacity especially in media. CSOs do a lot of work but this does not get highlighted. “Even women in leadership hardly get media attention. Due to cultural they will look at the way you are dressed to determine the way the media deals with you,” she adds.
Exemplary nation Sudan is the largest country in the African continent. Though just an emerging democracy it has a few things that Kenyan women could copy. According to Achieng, compared to Sudanese women, a lot of Kenyan women are educated and are powerful. “Let the Kenyan women look at themselves as women and daughters. Let them get their voices heard. Kenyan women must allow the quota system and support all female aspirants to increase their numbers in leadership.” She reiterates: “It is important that the Proposed Constitution is passed so Kenyan women acquire and inherit land legally. She adds: Women must not allow interference from the men candidates or political parties which draws attention away from themselves.” The Sudanese woman who lived in Kenya during the 21 years that her country was at war says: “Women in Kenya have very good networks and should like South Sudan, mobilise women to campaign for women by going beyond their constituencies.”