Coalition of Women for Peace and Justice

February 21, 2008

On Thursday February 21, over 150 women gathered in a City hotel to deliberate on Kenya’s post election situation and to map strategies towards a peaceful transformation of the conflict that has engulfed the country.

In the assembly, the women reiterated their support for the on going National Dialogue mediated by H.E Kofi Annan, H.E Graca Machel and H.E Benjamin Mkapa. The women’s understanding of the dialogue was that it affects more than the political protagonists. The national dialogue they said was about Kenya and Kenyans not politicians or political parties, “we will not accept to be held hostage or mortgage our livelihoods, safety and security of our children and our families to the whims of the political elite,” the Education Centre for Women in Democracy (ECWD) executive director Dr Margaret Hutchinson said.

The women noted that different messages were being received from the teams of the mediators represented at the National Dialogue and as a result, tension had been built up over the perceived deadlock in the negotiations.

The women were categorical in their demand that there be accountability by the mediation teams. “We would like to see honest feedback regarding the progress that has thus far been made in the negotiation and steps made to implement what have been already agreed.” Mary Wandia of the Regional Women’s Rights Coordinator at the Action Aid International-Africa said.  She said, the women further demand accountability to the agreement. “Of great importance is the agreement to stop violence.” She said.

The women meeting under the auspices of Coalition of Women for Peace and Justice sounded a loud alarm over reports of training and rearming of militia groups with sophisticated weaponry. They said there were reports that some of those activities were taking place in the IDP camps, quoting from recent press reports which highlighted renewed activity including oathing by some of the militia including reports of a break-in at a police station and the distribution of leaflets and spawning of propaganda and hate mail which they said serve to incite citizens against each other.

The women demanded that a negotiated agreement be anchored in a legal, constitutional framework and such agreement to include comprehensive constitutional reforms, a Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission, a national reconstruction plan and modalities for women’s inclusion in all the processes.

They also demanded an immediate stop to violence against women and also recognised that the media had a critical role to play in healing the nation and reiterated their support for media freedom in its totality.

The question of resettlement of the Internally Displaced Persons also came to fore. Here they called upon the Ministry of Special Programs which is in charge of humanitarian affairs to make assistance available immediately to all parts of the country. The resettlement, they said should “be better planned and assistance provided to ensure the safety of returnees.”  There have been increased reports that people returning to their homes have been subjected to violence.

Political parties were called upon to seek solutions to historical economic injustices affecting women, both rural and urban and should immediately activate mechanisms to restore the livelihoods of women affected by the violence.

The Coalition of Women for Peace and Justice also demanded a comprehensive political settlement that will result in sustainable peace. Nothing short of this will do. “Kenyan women will not relent until this objective is realized.”  Dr. Hutchinson said in a statement to press.

The women coalition pledged to work together with the Kenya Red Cross Society to provide psychological and humanitarian support to women and children in different Internally Displaced Persons camps across the country.  They reiterated the need to create safe neighbourhood within the camps terming themselves as “Women without Boarders.”

School going children, they said were at risk of being corrupted by their seniours. The group recommended setting up of committees that will visit schools to provide peace- based training. This exercise they said will emancipate the students and pupils from mental ethnic chauvinism.

The gathering noted that there were increased cases of sexual violence against women in the camps. They proposed the setting up of Rapid Response Units (RRU) to attend to sexually abused women in the camps promptly. They were further concerned of press reports alleging that young girls were being trafficked from IDP camps to countries in the west. These allegations they said should urgently be investigated and the perpetrators be apprehended.

As the mediation teams continue to hold discussions at the Serena Hotel, dubbed the “Peace House,” the coalition urged that a political settlement be reached speedily. If this was not forth coming soonest, they threatened to hold a peaceful vigil at Serena and not leave until a solution to the political crisis that brought the country to near meltdown is arrived at.