About gender equality, Kenya is not there yet
What a man can do a woman can do better, but they need equal opportunities to do so.
What you need to know:
- Women now hold high-ranking political positions and appointive posts and have made strides in business and entrepreneurship.
- This success is a cause for celebration as it demonstrates that women can, indeed, achieve great things when given the opportunity.
- It is also an opportunity to challenge traditional gender roles and stereotypes and promote gender equality in all spheres of life.
Gender inequality is still prevalent in the Kenyan society—particularly in rural areas, where traditional beliefs and customs hold sway. Women are often subjected to discrimination, violence and marginalisation; they are denied access to education, healthcare and economic opportunities.
Despite these challenges, women in Kenya have made significant progress in recent years, particularly in the political and economic spheres.
Women now hold high-ranking political positions and appointive posts and made strides in business and entrepreneurship.
This success is a cause for celebration as it demonstrates that women can, indeed, achieve great things when given the opportunity. It is also an opportunity to challenge traditional gender roles and stereotypes and promote gender equality in all spheres of life.
As for whether women can really do what men can, the answer is a resounding ‘yes’. While there may be some physical differences between men and women, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that women are biologically or emotionally inferior to men.
Women have proven themselves capable of excelling in traditionally male-dominated fields, including mechanics, engineering and technology.
Women are proving capable of achieving great things and their success stories should inspire us all to work towards a more inclusive and equal society. For example, women in engineering provide an inspiring example of what can be achieved when barriers are broken down.
Such women have defied stereotypes and societal expectations to pursue their passion and build successful businesses in a field once considered off-limits to their gender. Their success is testament to the power of determination, hard work and commitment to excellence.
However, more should be done to achieve true gender equality in the country. What a man can do a woman can do (better), so goes the saying, but they need equal opportunities to do so.
Ms Ngugi is a communication officer at PostBank ([email protected]).
