The Commission Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Purity Ngina, hosted Mohamed M. Sheikh, Executive Director of Action for Sustainable Change (AFOSC-Kenya), for discussions on collaboration around gender equality, the prevention of gender-based violence, civic education and inclusive participation in Northern Kenya.
The engagement takes place in a setting where climate and humani-
tarian pressures deepen existing in equality and raise protection risks for women and children. Displacement, loss of livestock and liveli-
hoods, and disrupted services do not affect a household evenly. They
shift burdens onto those with the least capacity to absorb them and reduce the options available to any one seeking to escape harm.
Kenya’s National Action Plan on Gender-Based Violence 2025 to
2029 points in the same direction,emphasising stronger prevention, coordinated referral systems, gender-responsive data and multi-sectoral action. The discussions examined how community-led awareness, evidence and civic education can challenge harmful gender norms, strengthen prevention and widen participation in democratic and development processes.
AFOSC-Kenya’s community presence across Northern Kenya, and its work on democratic governance and political participation, offer
practical ground for that. Opportunities were identified in
community mobilisation, evidence generation, knowledge sharing and stakeholder coordination, with a shared emphasis on communities that face the greatest barriers to information, participation and services.
The Commission remains committed to partnerships that convert commitments on equality and non-discrimination into practical
change in communities.
