The Presidential Advisor on Women Rights Hon, Harriete Chigai (right), Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Hon. Boss Sholei (left) and Maendeleo ya Wanawake Organization chair lady Ms. Rahab Mwikali (c) share a moment during the launch of the Strategic Direction of the Office of Women Rights Advisor to the President at a Nairobi hotel today.
Hon. Chigai urged all Kenyans to take part in creating safe spaces for our girls and women. She observed that when women are safe, the nation is safe. Hon Sholei on her part advised the office of women rights to prioritize financial literacy for women as a way of empowerment. She noted that though women get resources as is the case for athletes, most of them remain dependent on men due to financial illiteracy.
Hon. Sholei also called on banks to devolve to remote counties of the Northern frontier where women are involved in farming but they lack banking services. ‘These women would do much better if they had access to finances’, she added.
On gender-based violence, Sholei observed that the weakest link is the police. ‘It is demeaning for a woman who is sexually violated to go to a police station to report the case to a male police officer’, Sholei said adding that such officers should be located in hospitals and not police stations.
Present during the launch was Ms. Monica Juma, presidential advisor on security issues.
