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World YWCA and Kenya YWCA Respond to Post-Election Crisis in Kenya

Violence erupted in Kenya after results of the December 27 election were announced. The opposition claim the election was rigged in favour of the incumbent Mwai Kibaki. Houses were set ablaze, people killed and business looted for several days following the announcement of the disputed election results. Nearly 500 people have died and 250,000 people are displaced as they flee violence and search for safety. Amidst the violence women have been systematically raped and abused.

The World YWCA and Kenya YWCA in partnership with faith-based organisations and humanitarian aid agencies have begun efforts to respond to the crisis in the following manner:

Gender sensitive humanitarian response

1. The World YWCA is raising funds and advocating for humanitarian response that is sensitive to women’s needs, particularly their sexual and reproductive health needs including access to rape crisis facilities and counselors, HIV prevention drugs, sanitary towels among other commodities and facilities.
2. Kenya YWCA has turned their premises into a safe space for vulnerable women particularly the elderly, pregnant women and women with young children. Kenya YWCA has facilities in the affected areas of Kisumu and Siaya in Nyanza province and Mombasa in the Coastal region. According to the BBC thousands of displaced people have flooded Nyanza province and are desperate for shelter and food.
3. Members of Kenya YWCA are volunteering with the Kenya Red Cross packing and delivering food and clothes to people in camps. “There is really a great need for baby food, we are getting food for adults, but very little for babies and there are a lot of women, babies and children in the camps,” Maxwell Omondi, a YWCA volunteer commented.

Including gender perspective in political mediation

The World YWCA and Kenya YWCA are actively involved in the mediation efforts initiated by religious leaders working closely with the World Council of Churches (WCC), All Africa Council of Churches (AACC) and the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK). As the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and AU Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality call for the inclusion of women in conflict prevention, resolution and peace building, the YWCA is advocating for inclusion of women in the key mediation teams working on a political solution between the government and opposition.

Women building peace with justice

The political crisis in Kenya unleashed underlying ethnic sentiments exhibited in brutal killing of members of rival ethnic groups. While the short-term effort is an end to violence, the long-term effort must focus on building communities of respect, tolerance, and reverence for diversity. The leadership of women is crucial in this endeavour.

"The suffering and trauma of ordinary people in Kenya is severe,” says Nyaradzai Gumbonzvanda, World YWCA General Secretary who was in Kenya during the election and subsequent collapse of law and order, “we need collective effort to support the search for an immediate and lasting solution that addresses both the political issues while responding to the humanitarian crisis. Women and children are usually the victims of such situations.”

For more information contact:
Kaburo Kobia
Communication Director, World YWCA
T: +41 22 969 30 40
kaburo.kobia@worldywca.org

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YWCA calls for peace with justice and protection of women’s rights in Kenya

The World YWCA and YWCA of Kenya expresses its solidarity with Kenyan women and their families in the face of the pain and suffering as a result of Kenya’s violence and insecurity following the country’s January 27, 2007 elections.  The killings, beatings and burnings continue to bring loss, suffering and fear, especially to women and children. The YWCA Movement joins the Kenyan people, the World Council of Churches, and other international organizations in their call for peace with justice, while protecting the rights of women and children, especially from sexual violence.

Over 100,000 people have been affected or displaced countrywide according to the Kenya Red Cross. The YWCA of Kenya is responding to the crisis by offering its facilities in Mombasa, Siaya and Kisumu to provide shelter to vulnerable women and girls affected by the crisis including elderly women, pregnant and lactating mothers.  

The World YWCA calls for the effective inclusion of women in the mediation efforts and welcomes the Archbishop Desmond Tutu Initiative.  Women must play a vital role in reconciliation and resolution of the situation in line with the commitments made under UN Security Council Resolution 1325, the African Union Gender Solemn Declaration and the Kenya Policy on Gender Development.

It is urgent that the parties and the nation find a solution for the restoration of confidence in the key governance institutions, thus facilitating for the provision of basic social services to the poor and the protection of their human rights.

We especially call for international support for the humanitarian effort underway in the country and equally in support of the restoration of democracy, peace building and community reconciliation.

The World YWCA is a global movement that reaches 25 million women and girls in 125 countries, providing them with the space and skills to develop leadership to achieve justice, peace, security, health, human dignity, freedom and care for the environment for the entire community. The World YWCA affirms that women’s human rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent and interrelated. The full and equal enjoinment by women and girls is a priority of the YWCA movement and is essential for the advancement of women. 

Nyaradzai Gumbonzvanda                                          Mwajuma Alice Abok
General Secretary                                                       General Secretary
World YWCA                                                               YWCA Kenya

For more information www.worldywca.org

Kaburo Kobia, Director of Communication, World YWCA
Nairobi Tel: +254 72 0705 212
Geneva Tel: +41 22 929 60 32
kaburo.kobia@worldywca.org

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