Speech by Hon. Dr. Naomi Shaban, EGH, MP, Minister for Gender, Children and Social Development during  a Concept Paper for Media Women Scholarship  and Scholarship Fundraising” dinner for at the Hotel Intercontinental on Friday 3rdApril 2011at  6.30  pm.

Silvia Machini, Chairperson, Association of Media Women of Kenya
Jane Thuo, Executive Director, AMWIK
Vice-Chairperson, Sandra Ndonye of Association of Media Women of Kenya
Member of AMWIK
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

I am delighted to join you here this evening   to be associated with this noble cause that seeks to enhance education for women in Kenya in an effort to ensure gender balance in skills and education.
On the onset, may I take this opportunity to congratulate the Association Media Women of Kenya (AMWIK) for your continued efforts towards enhancing women’s chances to climb to decision making positions.
Your vision where you state that you are seek to promote gender equality to improve the lives of women of Kenya and children for full enjoyment of their humans looked at your mission, I
I am particularly encouraged by the role of women in the media play to advocate of involvement of women in issues that include in skills and knowledge, leadership and governance, peace and reconciliation, sexual and gender based violence, child abuse and sexual exploitation, and children and women’s human rights.

As you all are aware, women and children are the most vulnerable groups   and suffer the adverse impact of the issues I have just mentioned. It is therefore imperative that we, as women of Kenya stand up to be counted in the fight against these vices that infringe on the right of women and children.It is in light of this that I urge the Association to use their professional skills to advocate for the rights of women and the girl child. It is only through publicity that such issues can be highlighted for the benefit of the group.I am encouraged by the role media continue to play in highlighting incidences of child abuse, defilement, sexual harassment and rape, violence against women. In respect to this, I urge female journalists to sensitize the public on these issues as we all endeavour to protect the rights of women in this country.

As the Minister mandated to ensure that the rights of male and female, boys and girl are protected, I wish to reiterate my ministry has developed various policies and programmes to protect the rights of the women and the girl child particularly in equal access to education and employment.
I wish to thank His Excellency, the President on affirmative action directive on 30 per cent of all recruitment, appointment and promotion in the public service, this a step towards enhancing women representation  at  top levels in the public sector.

In addition, the government has introduced and appointed Gender Officers in all Ministries and Parastatals, to mainstream gender issues in the public service.
Other initiatives towards enhancing education for women are to discard cultural practices that impede on education for the girl child such as female genital mutilation and early marriages. My Ministry has developed a policy to accelerate the abandonment of female genital mutilation/ cutting (FGM/C).