In a move aimed at advancing gender equality and empowering women across Kenya, the Centre for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW) and the Council of Governors (COG) have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The agreement, signifies a pivotal moment in fostering a collaborative partnership between these institutions and county governments throughout the nation.

The primary objective of this MOU is to cultivate a genuine and mutually beneficial relationship that will serve as a cornerstone for supporting one another in several key areas, with a particular focus on mainstreaming gender in the practices, policies, and programs of county governments.

This MOU has been developed at a time when Kenya has recorded the third highest teen pregnancy rates globally with Samburu, West Pokot, Marsabit and Narok recording the highest prevalence according to the KDHS 2022 report. On GBV, it has been reported that 40 percent of women have experience physical or sexual gender based violence, indicating the pervasive nature of gender based violence. Kenya is still yet to achieve parity in women leadership in elective position with female politicians constituting only 10.6 per cent of all elective seats.

The MOU outlines several vital areas of collaboration between CREAW and COG including comprehensive interventions on teen pregnancies, policy formulation and interventions to improve GBV Prevention, Response and Management as well as enhance the meaningful and effective participation of women leaders within the various county government structures.

It will also focus on development, resourcing, and implementation of Gender Policies, Programs, and Priorities, mentorship and capacity building for Women at the County Level, review of the Intergovernmental Framework for the Gender Sector as well as collaborative action on gender Issues with other state and non-state actors.

During the signing ceremony, Ms. Mary Mwiti, the Chief Executive Officer of COG, expressed the MOU’s potential to strengthen the partnership between both institutions and county governments.

CREAW, as a partner in this collaboration, will play a pivotal role in championing the development, resourcing, and implementation of gender policies, practices, and programs within Kenya’s 47 counties.

Wangechi Wachira, the Executive Director of CREAW, expressed her gratitude for the partnership with COG, highlighting its significance in promoting the meaningful participation of women leaders and addressing critical issues such as gender-based violence prevention, response, and management, with a particular emphasis on teenage pregnancy.