By Veronicah Njoki
- Beyond women empowerment, this discussion highlighted the roles that the community has in breaking the transgenerational abuse cycle and addressing Discrimination and Violence against women.
- As the world moves to digitalization, the discussion identified the trend in online discrimination against women.
- The final segment of the discussion explored the role that men have in supporting women in leadership.
I understand discrimination against women as exclusion from decision-making, a systemic marginalization that denies them a seat at the table where crucial choices are deliberated and formulated
Marriane Nyangi, CEO and Founder, Global Women’s Connection LLC.
In the pursuit of gender equality, the vital role of women as catalysts in the fight for gender violence and discrimination cannot be emphasized enough.
To shed light on this issue, the United States International University – Africa (USIU-Africa), in partnership with ZionPearl Publishers, held a webinar on November 24, 2023.
The virtual lecture, moderated by Rachael Ngumi, a Gender Equity, Inclusion and Protection Officer at USIU–Africa, and featuring distinguished guests, explored the complex aspects of Violence and Discrimination against women.
It highlighted the critical necessity of addressing such issues for the development of society.
As they explored the layers of discrimination and violence against women, the discussion unfolded not only on the challenges the women faced but also on the potential solutions, presenting a persuasive argument for the critical role that women play in shaping our future.
Understanding discrimination against women
Explaining what it means to discriminate against women, Lucy Wairimu, CEO and Founder of True North Kenya, said, “The act of not allowing women to eat the cake is basically discrimination. The impact of engaging women in what we do is important as it comes back to the community.”
The analogy of women not being allowed to have a slice of the metaphorical cake resonated with this discussion deeply.
“I understand discrimination against women as exclusion from decision-making, a systemic marginalization that denies them a seat at the table where crucial choices are deliberated and formulated,” said Marianne Nyangi, CEO and Founder, Global Women’s Connection LLC.
“If women are excluded, they feel undervalued because culturally, men are considered as the powerful gender especially in Africa, as that is how we are brought up.
This entrenched cultural narrative perpetuates a cycle of undervaluation, hindering women’s full participation and contribution to societal progress,” Ms. Nyangi urged.
Discrimination of women affects their self-esteem, mental health, and well-being, consequently leading to their disconnection to societal welfare.
Aside from cultural nuances, there are economic implications that result from women’s exclusion from making decisions, for instance, stifling innovation and economic growth and lack of full human resources utilization.
Emerging trends in women’s discrimination
As the world moves to digitalization, the discussion identified the trend in online discrimination against women.
Insights by Ms. Wairimu illuminated the challenges that are posed by digital platforms, where women are seen as objects of Violence and Discrimination.
She said, “Violence continues to be an issue worth discussion. We are in a digital era, and most of the discrimination is online.”
“It is important to address advocacy strategies that can address the evolving space of gender-based discrimination,” she added.
Recognizing and working on the emerging online trends that disproportionately affect women through discrimination is vital as they help in crafting comprehensive solutions to address the challenges that women face.
Est practices in fighting against women’s discrimination
Ms. Wairimu’s powerful assertion that an entire community can reverberate if women are empowered lays a great foundation for delving into the best practices to stop women’s discrimination.
She said, “When you empower women, they empower the whole community. If you give a woman a wholesome amount of money, she will not think about herself alone.
She will go out of her way to reach the wider community too, and that is why women empowerment is very important.”
“One way in which we can emphasize the importance of women’s empowerment is through training and education in the community, in the workplace, and everywhere,” she added.
Ms. Wairimu’s insight on how to fight discrimination expanded to encompass the health of women, drawing attention to the burdens that women face because of their gender.
She adds, “The burden of illness in women is because of their gender, for instance, painful periods, depression, early death, diabetes, anxiety.”
Considering these health-related challenges that women face because of their gender, Ms. Wairimu noted that it is important to dismantle the stereotypes that surround women’s health, for instance, mental health and menstrual stigma.
Beyond women empowerment, this discussion highlighted the roles that the community has in breaking the transgenerational abuse cycle and addressing Discrimination and Violence against women.
Role of leadership in women’s discrimination
In response to Rachael, a participant, Ms. Nyangi emphasized on the vital leadership role in reshaping the societal attitudes towards all women.
She says, “When we entrust leadership to the right people, it becomes such a powerful stimulant to dismantle the norms that discriminate against women, and we could create an environment where women get equal opportunities.”
Ms. Nyangi explored the role model and the role of mentorship in the leadership space, stressing the significance of creating room and opportunities for women to be in leadership positions.
In addition, she praised men who actively advocate and support gender equality, recognizing that to make progress in fighting against women’s discrimination, there should be a collective effort.
Fostering organizational change
“Training and coaching should be embedded in organizations. Having specialized training to ensure the organization is sensitive on gender,” said Ms. Wairimu, in response to how organizations can positively contribute to discrimination and eradication against women.
She emphasized the need for organizations to have coaching and training programs to sensitize the staff members on gender issues.
In addition, she advocated for specialized training to ensure that every organization is not only aware of the discrimination challenges that women have but also works towards creating environments for them that will enhance their productivity.
Edinah Kangwana, MBS, MHC., CEO and Founder of Arise Circle KE, addressed systematic barriers that hinder equality in organizations.
She noted, “There should be policies put in place in organizations that foster gender equality. However, in most cases, these policies have yet to be funded so that they can be implemented. This is the main challenge that we have.”
Advocating for change
Rachael addressed the lingering need for women to grow in their leadership roles.
In response, Ms. Kangwana shed light on the importance of having policies that advocate for equality.
“Having policies that address gender issues is essential. However, potential gaps arise when these policies lack adequate funding for effective implementation.
Empowering women to amplify their voices becomes pivotal in bridging these gaps, and stakeholder involvement emerges as a crucial factor in ensuring sustained efforts toward achieving equality,” she observed.
Ms. Kangwana advocated for women’s empowerment in raising their voices not only for individual advancement but also to ensure that the policies meant to promote gender equality are implemented and exercised.
In addition, the thought leader emphasized the impending need for stakeholder involvement in this advocacy, recognizing that gender equality is achieved when there is collaboration between non-governmental organizations and governmental organizations.
Ms. Wairimu, shedding more light on the stakeholders, said, “United Nations and the government are some of the stakeholders that would really make a contribution to fostering equality and women’s inclusion.”
Men’s role in supporting women
The final segment of the discussion explored the role that men have in supporting women in leadership.
“I believe men have a vital role to play in fostering women inclusion in society, dismantling gender stereotypes,” Ms. Nyangi said.
In advocating for gender equality, the webinar, moderated by Rachael Ngumi and featuring the insightful contributions of Edinah Kangwana, Lucy Mukuria, and Marianne Nyangi, unfolded an integrated exploration of the triumphs and challenges in the fight against women’s discrimination.
In understanding women’s exclusion and advocating for change, the discussion put women as catalysts in reshaping societal stereotypes.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Africa Women Summit: Women’s role in building sustainable communities
As we embrace the quest for dismantling discrimination and valuing women’s contribution, we ought to pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable future for all of us.
