This archive report was first published on 16 August 2019.
On Friday, President Uhuru Kenyatta spoke at the inaugural African Women Leaders Network Inter-Generational Retreat on Leadership in Africa, emphasizing the need for redoubling efforts to break gender stereotypes and attitudes that propagate discrimination against women.
He urged women leaders to develop mechanisms that equip young men and women with appropriate skills, resources, and opportunities, and to apply their experience to influence the political processes in their continent to be more amenable to the participation of women in politics.
President Kenyatta pointed out that his administration has put in place a robust policy and legal framework to promote, enforce, and monitor equality and non-discrimination, and that he remains passionate and committed to ensuring women assume leadership positions not only in Kenya but in Africa as well.
He also called on policymakers to cultivate governance systems that strengthen and consolidate efforts to empower young people through meaningful youth participation and equal partnership in driving their respective national development agenda.
Former President of Malawi Joyce Banda praised President Kenyatta for being a global champion for the youth, and other speakers included UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed and AU's Bineta Diop.
President Kenyatta's remarks come ahead of major gender equality initiatives, including the Nairobi Summit on the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) that Kenya will host from 12th to 15th November 2019, and the 25th anniversary of the 4th World Conference on Women and the adoption of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in September 2020.
