KELIN participates in the 13th AWID International Forum

“I am glad to have been part of the AWID conference which was an exciting knowledge platform on the current realities on human rights, the experiences shared by other countries created an avenue to move away from system silences by creating a social movement that holds everyone accountable.” This was the reflection of Ms. Jessica Oluoch, the KELIN programme officer on women land and property rights (WLPR) who represented KELIN at this forum alongside the Executive Director, Allan Maleche. The forum was held from 8 – 11 September 2016 in Bahia, Brazil.

AWID is an international membership organization with thousands of individual and institutional members in over 100 countries working towards gender equality worldwide. The conference is the largest on women’s rights in the world outside the UN, and hosts 1,800 – 2,000 participants. This years’ theme was “Building Collective Power for Rights and Justice” and was informed by the violence and inequality faced by women and the need for a space to share their collective experiences.

The team attended and participated in more than 10 sessions including sessions focusing on the abortion rights to reproductive justice and sessions on women property rights and why these rights are important.

The AWID forum provided an opportunity to compare the experience and best practices of other partners in programming for WLPR and SRHR (Sexual Reproductive Health Rights). The forum brought together funders and activists from various organizations to share their experiences and collaborate in mobilizing resources to ensure protection of women’s rights. .

The activists shared their experiences and responded to the current situations with regard to human rights with the desire to create a world free from all discrimination, They were also encouraged to remain conscious of the violations that occur on a daily basis. The closing session mapped the feminist’s vision for the future through a collective global gender strategy.

To contribute to the discussions on this forum follow KELIN on our social media platforms using the hashtag #AWIDForum

Twitter: @KELINkenya

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kelinkenya

For more information contact:

Allan Maleche,

Executive Director (KELIN)

Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV & AIDS (KELIN)

4th Floor, Somak Building, Mombasa Road

PO Box 112-00200, KNH

Email: amaleche@kelinkenya.org

Mobile No: +254 708389870