Strengthening women’s political participation in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia

Women and girls have a right to participate in political leadership and make their voices heard in any decision-making process that affects their communities and societies. We spotlight six partners from the AWESOME project championing women’s political participation in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia. Together with their local communities they’re keen on amplifying their voices as feminists and agents of change removing all structural barriers that would prevent women from exercising their democratic right in governance.

Let’s not forget women with disabilities

Ethiopian Women with Disabilities Association (EWDNA), in Ethiopia, is whetting the appetite of women with disabilities for politics, as well as campaigning for practical changes such as accessibility and supporting those who want to participate. Their work is focused on trying to shift cultural norms, because while some laws have changed for the better, culture has yet to catch up. 

Also in Ethiopia, our partner Siqqee Women’s Development Association (SWDA) have been organising self-help groups, creating safe spaces for women to exercise leadership. SWDA calls for the election board to make the representation of women in political parties and leadership positions mandatory, adding that the government must provide legal protection to all citizens and enforce the law in this regard.

“Creating a conducive environment for political participation is the mandate of the government and each citizen.” (SWDA)

Our Kenyan partner Women Challenged to Challenge (WCC) has been engaging women with disabilities to increase their knowledge on political processes during elections, as well as creating a platform for them to meet and learn from women with leadership experience. They’ve also connected women with disabilities with the media so they can talk about the challenges they face and call upon stakeholders to be inclusive. “It is important to ensure women with disabilities have been appointed leadership offices as well as being deliberate to be aware of disability needs, inclusion, and disability mainstreaming,” they say.  

Raising awareness across various fronts

Ahead of the 2022 elections, Federation of Women Lawyers – Kenya (FIDA Kenya) launched their ‘Vote a Dada’ campaign, which aimed to change the perceptions of women candidates among Kenyans. They also established a monitoring centre to document and report cases of ESGBV. Through its Women Leadership Academy, FIDA-Kenya supported women candidates (including women with disabilities) to engage in the political process, subsequently impacting the number of women elected in the 2022 general elections. 

Meanwhile in Uganda, AWESOME partner National Union of Women with Disabilities of Uganda (NUWODU) holds community dialogues and training sessions to raise awareness around disability rights. They advocate for inclusion and mainstreaming of disability issues, and engage and train key stakeholders on disability, SGBV response and reporting mechanisms. Just as importantly, they also offer psychological support to women with disabilities and have seen an increased confidence among them, which has in turn increased representation of disability issues in the political space. 

As a consequence of the high level of VAWG in Uganda’s 2016 elections, Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) commissioned a study that provided evidence on VAWE but also made recommendations for an environment that protects and upholds women’s rights to political and electoral participation – from urging the government to conduct a comprehensive nationwide research on VAWG in times of elections (VAWE), to mass awareness sessions on VAWG (see the report here).

It’s also worth noting that all AWESOME partners are committed to advocating for the ratification of the ILO Convention 190 in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda – the first international treaty to recognise the right of everyone to work free from violence and harassment. When ratified, these labour standards will go a long way in protecting women in their workplace, including those entering the political sphere.  

Read more about the AWESOME project here. 

For further context on the link between VAWG and WPL, please see here.