JOINT STAKEHOLDERS’ SUBMISSION BY WOMEN RIGHTS CLUSTER OF UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW KENYA COALITION
Zamara Foundation
20 Feb 2025
- This stakeholder report has been developed and submitted by the Women Rights Cluster, a member of Universal Periodic Review Kenya, a coalition that brings together over 200 Civil Society Organizations, all of which are divided into 30 sub clusters. Members of the Cluster include African Gender and Media Initiative Trust (GEM), Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK), Centre For Domestic Training & Development (CDTD), Centre for the Study of Adolescents (CSA), Centre for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW), Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Kenya, Flone Initiative, Kenya Alliance for Advancement of Children (KAACR), Network for Adolescent and Youth of Africa (NAYA Kenya), Plan International, Polycom Girls, Wangu Kanja Foundation, Women Empowerment Link (WEL), and Zamara Foundation.
- This submission focuses on six key issues on women’s rights:
• Gender Based Violence (GBV)
• Poor Menstrual Health Management for Girls and Young Women.
• Unequal Gender Representation
• Lack of Social Protection Mechanisms for Women Migrant Workers. • Poor Labour and Social Protection for Unpaid Care Workers
• Lack of Legal Recognition and Protection for Domestic Workers. - Kenya has previously been reviewed thrice by the Universal Periodic Review and has received key recommendations on the above themes.
- Kenya was last reviewed by the Universal Periodic Review Working Group 35 in January 2020 and received 319 recommendations and supported 263, while noting the rest. The supported recommendations represent an increase of 36.97% from the second cycle review.
- Kenya supported key recommendations on the issue of women’s rights including 28 recommendations on sexual and gender-based violence, 8 on violence against women, 5 on advancing women’s rights, 2 on participation of women in political and public life and 2 on discrimination against women including the recommendation to strengthen gender equality by implementing the two-thirds gender principle in all elective or appointive bodies in a timely manner.
- An analysis of the recommendations through the lenses of the 2030 Sustainable Goals reveals that recommendations by gender equality goals, reduced inequalities and decent work goals were cumulatively among the highest contributing for 16%, 11% and 7% respectively.
- Whereas there has been progress since the last review, this report describes that women’s rights to be free from violence and discrimination, to decent work and economic growth, to health and to representation in politics is yet to be fully realized, and in some circumstances have worsened since the last review.
- This report further provides specific recommendations to ensure women’s rights are protected, fulfilled and respected.