In this issue:

Introduction

Civic Education on the proposed constitution
GBV reports
Women and property ownership
Leadership Project Boost

Welcome to our 3^rd Newsletter

Thank you for being a part of the CWID community. We strive to keep you informed of the great work happening in the field, the exciting new programs we are developing with partners worldwide and the current challenges in women and development.

Introduction

Coast Women In Development undertakes activities that involve capacity building, development of income generating projects, HIV/AIDS programs, girl child empowerment and advocacy on women and children rights in order to empower women and reinforce their roles and position in the country’s socio-economic and leadership platforms.

One of the CWID’s projects in the month of July was to support the community in civic education on the proposed constitution. This was targeted mainly for the purposes of the referendum. Kenya as a nation dreamt of real change over 20 years. The proposed constitution was a draft that was supposed to be implemented only if Kenyans decided to do so, no wonder the referendum, but before heading for the referendum the public had to be aware of whatever was going on or rather informed about the constitution.

Media personnel swept the mass but the ones who gained from them were the literate and it was noticed that a greater part of Kenya’s majority would miss out, so civic education was introduced.

Coast women In development took the initiative of handling the civic education in the grass root level. Most women especially those who never went to school were being left behind in terms of understanding what the contents of the draft constitution were.

CWID personnel in collaboration with CoE representatives had one on one approach with Coastal residents. They filled the gap by interacting with them and imparting knowledge and creating awareness.

In response to the comprehensive civic education conducted right before the referendum tremendous results were seen judging from the voter turn out and passing on of the proposed constitution on the 4th of August 2010.

Mr Kyalo from Mombasa west is trying to find out what the constitution if passed will hold for the elderly at the chaani forum.

Civic Education On The Proposed constitution

During the civic education process just before the referendum it was highly noticed that most Kenyans had similar queries over issues that evolved around land, abortion and the Kadhi’s courts.

More issues kept on coming up through out as the politicians maintained their propaganda campaign to derail constitution, issues like same sex marriage, killing of the elderly, were creepy thanks to CoE and Government Printers we could get enough documents and the society could read on their own or get assisted from person they are closer to, simplified document was a great asset during this period.

CWID with the assistance of CoE representative Ms. Babra Wanjiru rake through all the constituencies of Mombasa to disseminate the information to the society . We appreciate the effort was fruitful but the community still need to understand better the document as the government is preparing for the start of the implementation.

Grassroots Women examine the document to make sure that it will protect them from gender discrimination and bad cultural practices when it passes.

Gender Based Violence (GBV) reports

Sexual harassment is one of the major problems CWID is trying to curb in today’s society. Rare occurrences have been witnessed and the CWID staffs has been involved in solving these cases in one way or another.

One of the major cases was that of a young girl around the age of four, who was defiled by a man whose father is a village elder and the old man who is believed to be the landlord to the kid’s parents . The irony is that the young girl’s parents want the case solved away from people’s eyes fearing consequences that will follow since the perpetrator’s father is a public figure.

Similar cases have been reported such as sodomy where children within the age of 9 and 13 years have fallen victims of either a teacher in the schools they go to or any other person who takes advantage of their vulnerable situation e.g. one case of a boy who felt left out by his separated parents who also did not show him any affection. In the long run he decided to sort sought the affection from another source but realized too late that he had been trapped after the so called ‘friend’ sodomised since he didn’t know how , and whom to report to the man later paid him to silenced him.

CWID is investigating these cases with the help of relevant authority such as the police then preceding on to file the cases in court, but the biggest challenge we face is the persons to fill P3 forms , as for the month of August alone we have 15 sexual gender based violence cases that P3 forms have not been filled because the police officers are either not available or have not got time to accompanied the survivors to the hospital.

Women and property ownership.

Cases of discrimination against women on property ownership are increasing with the right to own property in the new constitution. There was a recent case over land ownership in Mishomoroni area, Kisauni where a woman was harassed, her house demolished and her life threatened by family members of the person who had sold the land to her.

The Nancy aged over 70 years alleges that she had legally bought the land from the owner who is now a deceased twenty five years ago, though she lost the title deed and was only left with three receipts as proof of ownership.

The family members argued that she what she paid for was not paltry thus she does not rightfully own it despite the fact that she had stayed there with her children for over and grand children since then.

The man’s family members decided to make matters worse by selling bits of the land to other people without even consulting the woman. They went ahead to bring down her house and demolished everything in the compound. She was only able to rescue a few belongings.

CWID in collaboration with the former area councilor Mr Makadu have found a shelter for her along with her grandchildren and the case is back in court hope justice will prevail .

Mama Riziki shows the remains of her flattened house to CWID`s staffs.

Leadership Project Boosted.

CWID`s Advocacy for Leadership program was boosted when one of our founding members and the Director, Mr. Teddy Mwambire managed to complete a training with PLDP and was certified to be one of the Pioneers for Change. The organization, Political

Teddy in the middle during his certificate of Pioneers for Change award with others.

Leadership Development Programme (PLDP) is a joint initiative of the Youth Agenda and the Citizens Coalition for Constitutional Culture. Its overarching goal is to create a new political leadership in Kenya by identifying, attracting and training young Kenyans with outstanding political leadership qualities in order to produce a value-driven public

leadership in a democratic and pluralistic society.

The programme is intended to prepare potential Political leaders, who can effectively play their

Leadership roles as policy-makers, decision-makers, Communicators, enablers and negotiators.

Young Teddy is an elected councilor in Kilifi Municpality and former Chairperson of finance Committee in the same.

THANK YOU Kenyans!

CWID would like to appreciate all Kenyans for having practiced their democratic right and voting in the new constitution. Most of all we would like to praise everyone for having rendered peace through out the period of bringing in the new constitution. This was a great sign of patriotism and of a better future. Peace be with you and long live Kenya!

Thank you for reading our newsletter CWID. If you would like to give a feedback for us please 

email us at cwid@coastwomen.org

internet: http://www.coastwomen.org