Women Champions Call for Resilience in the Fight Against Gender Discrimination
Women civic educators and gender equity champions in Isiolo County marked International Women’s Day by urging women to remain resilient in the face of challenges that continue to fuel gender discrimination.
More than 40 women champions gathered in Isiolo town to commemorate the day, sharing personal testimonies and experiences about the obstacles they have overcome in life. Some spoke about surviving childhood marriages, while others recounted struggles related to lack of education and limited opportunities.
Pastoralists women for Health and Education officer (PWHE), Hassan Golompo emphasized the need for women to speak out against harmful cultural practices within pastoralist communities that continue to marginalize women.
He noted that practices such as wife inheritance, female genital mutilation (FGM), and early marriages still persist in some communities, contributing to the perception of women as a lower gender.
Mary Mbatia highlighted the mental health impact caused by such circumstances, saying many women suffer silently due to the pressures created by discrimination and harmful cultural practices.
She noted that some women who do not receive support develop serious mental health challenges, urging women to overcome fear and step forward to claim the rights and spaces guaranteed to them by the Constitution.
Abdia Abdi, who has lived with a disability since childhood, said women’s rights are often denied, with girls living with disabilities facing even greater challenges.
She pointed out that many girls with disabilities are denied access to education, a situation that further limits their opportunities and exposes them to additional hardships in life.
According to Shoba Liban Director (PWHE), the journey toward achieving safe and inclusive spaces for women in a patriarchal society is not easy. She said women must remain resilient in the face of challenges, stressing the need to empower and prepare them to confront the barriers that stand in their way.
