Introducing HeForShe Campaign to the National Council of Churches in Kenya
NCCK Chairperson Rev Canon Rosemary Mbogoh, General Secretary Rev Canon Peter Karanja and members of the committee listening to UN Women Country Director Ms. Zebib Kavuma give her remarks.
The National Council of Churches in Kenya (NCCK) showed support to the UN Women HeForShe solidarity movement as the General Secretary Reverend Canon Peter Karanja signed up on the online HeForShe action platform to be a champion. The sign up was as a result of the HeForShe introduction session given by UN Women Country Director, Ms Zebib Kavuma in the meeting of the National Council of Churches on 2nd December 2015. Of the 200 Committee members attending the meeting, 44 men signed up to the HeForShe solidarity movement. To create more momentum for the commitment NCCK chairperson Rev Canon Rosemary Mbogoh promised to hold an official launch early next year.
In its attempt to engage men in promoting political participation of women, NCCK runs campaign dubbed Men-for-Women modelled along the HeForShe global solidarity movement to enlist champions through building the capacity of respective male faith leaders within the inter-religious organizations structures at the ward, county and national.
UN Women has been working closely with NCCK since the roll out of Gender and Governance Programme in 2009. The partnership has seen NCCK implement several projects that aim to enable women lead and participate in governance.Currently NCCK is partnering with UN Women on “Kaunti Bora project”, implemented in Kwale, Kitui, and Homa bay, Embu, Kiambu, Bomet and Kisumu Counties which aims to maximise into the Counties’ high untapped potential to fully embrace women political leadership.
As a result of two day discussions around the importance of unity and involvement of all stakeholders on national engagement, the Council planned on taking radical action to redeem and restore Kenya highlighting the importance of gender justice in the process.
The bullet of the press release stated: “This Executive Committee appreciates that throughout the Bible, God has made it clear that men and women were created equal and should therefore be accorded equal social and economic opportunities. We therefore urge all men in Kenya to support the HeForShe movement being championed by UN Women and thereby speak out and take action against inequalities faced by women and girls. In addition we call upon all Kenyans to work to elect able women to leadership positions in churches and the community.’’
‘’Statistics show that if we close the global gap in workforce participation between men and women, GDP worldwide would grow by nearly 12% by 2030,’’ highlighted Ms. Kavuma in her remarks. Ms. Kavuma reiterated that UN Women Kenya will continue to work with NCCK to reduce the gender gap through their target group that includes all Christian gatherings in Kenya and will specifically work towards launching the HeForShe solidarity movement within NCCK.
‘’I am what I am today because of the male support that has been in my life’’ Rev Canon Rosemary Mbogoh pointed out as she aired the interest to be part of this noble course. She also urged the men in the room to support the she in their lives for their own benefit.