Elections

Nairobi (AFP) – Kenyans have elected a record number of women to positions of power in this month's polls, with the list including seven governors, three senators and 26 MPs, in a step towards gender equality.

The East African nation has long struggled to get women into politics, with men accounting for the overwhelming majority of elected officials and female politicians largely consigned to serving as one of Kenya's 47 women representatives.

On Sunday morning, the activities of the training program “Monitoring Violence against Women in Elections in Libya” were launched. The program is organised by the High National Election Commission (HNEC), in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), at the training centre at the commission’s headquarters.

The Kaduna state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Dr. Asmau Maikudi, has stated that 35 women are among the various political parties’ candidates for the 2023 general elections in Kaduna state.

Addressing a one day sensitisation and enlightenment meeting with women contestants and other stakeholders at the Kaduna state INEC headquarters on Thursday, Asmau called for more political support and political position for Nigerian women.

Martha Karua may become Kenya’s most senior woman ever but feminists fear the compromises that will be forced on her.

A nationwide rollout of training on sexual and gender-based violence has recently concluded across Kenya to better equip law enforcement officials prevent and mitigate sexual violence during the country’s 2022 General Election.

A joint project from UN Women and OHCHR Kenya entitled has trained 141 police commanders on election security management. This four-day training specifically highlighted electoral-related sexual and gender-based violence and their specific role when dealing with these cases.