The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Development Dr. Naomi Shaban joined the Kenyan women and the rest of the world in commemorating the 100 years celebrations of the International Women’s Day.
The Minister hailed this years’ theme, that is, “Equal access to education, training, science and technology: as a pathway to decent work for women”.  She added that the theme was important as it advocates for equal rights to education for the girl child and equal opportunities for women in the socio-economic and political

Dr. Shaban was speaking during the centenary celebrations of the International Women’s Day at the Kenyatta International Conference Center on 8th March 2011. She commended the efforts of the government, development partners and stakeholders in spearheading women’s rights.The Minister paid glowing tribute to heroines of our nation namely; Grace Onyango, Margaret Kenyatta, Phoebe Asiyo, Prof. Julia Ojiambo, Grace Ogot, and Prof. Wangare Mathai, among others for their remarkable contributions that laid a firm foundation for the socio-economic and political empowerment of the women of Kenya.

Concerning education for the girl-child, Dr. Shaban commended the government for putting mechanisms in place such as the free education programmes which she attributed to the increase in enrollment of the girl-child.She acknowledged the increase in enrollment and retention of the girl-child in the schools quoting from the 2009 Population and Housing Report Census which states that a total of 28,402,469 children aged between 3 years and above attended school from the lowest to the highest level of education.  This is an increase of girls at 40 per cent compared to 35 per cent   and 37 percent in 1999 and 1989 respectively.

In an endeavour to attain education for women, Dr. Shaban said that the government established a national task force for Gender and Education, A Ministerial task force on Girls’ Education   and a Gender Desk in all public institutions. The main objective of these task forces is to recommend mechanisms for implementation of the National Education for All (EFA) strategies.The Minister, In addition said that the government inconjuction with the development partners have also developed strategies and implemented various initiatives to further enhance education for the girl-child and women in general, some of the initiatives include, the National Plan of Action, Education For All (EFA) 2003-2015, the Sessional paper No. 1 of 2005 and the Kenya education Sector Support Programmes (KSSP) 2005-2010).

In an endeavour to reduce incidences of Gender, Based Violence, Dr. Shaban said that the government is in the process of enacting the Family Protection Bill that seeks to address domestic violence and its adverse effect particularly in women and children.The Minister urged her fellow Parliamentarians to pass the three pending family Bills to protect the rights and welfare of women; the Bills are the Family Protection Bill, Marriage Bill and Matrimonial Property Bill of 2009, that seek to ensure equal distribution of property to both male and female.

While addressing the same gathering, Dr. James Nyikal, the Permanent Secretary noted that women are equally bread winners and therefore the struggle of women equality and empowerment should never be seen as a struggle between men and women.On the issue of education for the girl child, the Permanent Secretary noted that the issue of sanitary towels should be addressed and the girls should be provided with the towels.

The function was attended by the Prof. Margrate Kamar, Assistant Minister for Environment, Mr. Aenea Chuma, UN Resident Co-coordinator, and Mr. Njoroge Ndirangu, Nairobi Provincial Commissioner among others.