Home
As we mark the International Day of the girl let’s take stock of the progress that we’ve made so far. As a country, we have seen more girls going to school than boys. Kenya has made so many strides in the pursuit of equality.
Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta led the charge in championing the complete eradication of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Many girls in remote areas like Samburu County and in the North Eastern frontier have fled and found refuge in homes where they can study and be safe from abuse and early marriage.
We can celebrate the awareness of the health needs of the girl child such as the need for sanitary towels and immunization against Human Papiloma Virus (HPV) known for causing cervical cancer.
However more needs to be done to reach SDG 5 which states that there needs to be equality for women and girls by 2030. Firstly, hunger and poverty have been proven to affect girls disproportionately. Statistics say that 70% of the world’s hungry are female. The ongoing drought that has plagued and plundered ASAL areas of Kenya met an unprepared government leaving millions holding on to dear life by a thread.
The government, duty bearers and non-state actors need to keep the collaborative efforts up and amp them. Weather experts have often quipped that with unpredictable rains the country is due to experience more hunger.
Organizations such as Plan International are going into the countryside and providing girls with the aid they need such as sanitary towels, relief food and cash to their families to support them. The government needs to prepare for disaster in a more proactive way and make it easy for donors and well-wishers to give aid where it’s needed most.
