1.10 Youth empowerment through Sexual Education

FAWE staff, female Deputy Governors from Kenya and mentees from Daystar University pose for a photo at the launch of the Intergenerational Mentorship Programme on 8th March 2021.

1.9 FAWE implemented Women in Political Participation (WPP) launches the Intergenerational Mentorship Programme

Female Deputy Governors, mentees and FAWE staff pose for a picture at the launch of the Intergenerational Mentorship Programme in Nairobi Kenya.

The Women in Political Participation (WPP) programme launched the Intergenerational Mentorship Programme on March 8, 2021, International Women’s Day. This was in a bid to encourage more women to take up leadership opportunities.

The event, which was graced by several female deputy governors and political leaders in Kenya and beyond, sought to co – create the Regional Intergenerational mentorship program. This comes at a time when women representation is still low in the political arena.

“The programme is designed to not only teach each other but to also learn from each other to improve women’s representation and participation in politics in Africa.” dr. Pinky Mekgwe, Senior Regional

Advisor: Africa and West Asia, IdEA.

Despite of the efforts that have been made in enhancing participation of women in politics in most African countries, women continue to be underrepresented in political decision-making positions in both political and public space. To change the narrative, there is need for raising and sustaining awareness in order to change prevailing attitudes, examine obstacles and proposals for reform and change, empower identified champions of change, and share comparative evidence that could propel action.

“More often, the missing link is between a promising political leader and a successful one is mentorship. Notably, mentorship programs are more pronounced in the private sectors which, to a great extent explains successes in creating new generation of leaders.”

Ms. Martha Muhwezi, Executive director, Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE).

To improve the participation of women in politics there is need to avail avenues where young women can be trained and mentored for the purpose of next generation leadership development for advancing women’s political participation. Additionally, male political leaders and activists including the younger generations and traditional leaders need to be trained to build, renew, and enhance their knowledge and enlist their support in increasing women political participation.