On the 27 February 2024, KELIN commenced training in Kisumu West and Seme sub counties of Kisumu for 60 women and men on securing your family’s future (SYFF) together curriculum. The SYFF curriculum was developed by KELIN in 2021 and is aimed at promoting equitable social norms in the community. The training on social norms is intended to promote a culture shift that is protective of equitable rights. The training will also equip the participants with effective and efficient communication skill for gender transformative advocacy and prepare the participants for diverse audiences.
Over the years, there has been demonstrable shifts in cultural perceptions and attitudes around women and land ownership, particularly in rural Kisumu following this training on social norms. For instance, in 2020, KELIN trained 200 women using SYFF curriculum for women. As the training commenced, the women were reluctant to speak on land rights claiming it is solely owned by men. This position, however, changed at the end of the training, the women having understood the legal positions supportive of their rights. Similarly, in 2021, 200 men were trained, and they were initially opposed to including the names of their spouses in title deeds or willing property to them. The position was anchored on a perceived patriarchal culture that posits that women should not be allowed to own ancestral land. The perception was debunked during the training and more men have since acted in writing wills leaving inheritance to their wives, jointly registering land with their spouses, and registering their marriages and onboarding more women into leadership spaces.
SYFF Together Course was developed to curate a shared understanding of the human rights issues impacting women’s rights and spearhead equitable norms in the community. The ongoing SYFF training will enhance knowledge and messaging for social change to enunciate the impact of culture, biased laws, misconceived norms, and lack of awareness as the impediments to women claiming their right to land and property, then develop action points that promote gender transformative and workable outcomes related to land and inheritance.
To contribute to the discussions on this forum, follow KELIN on our social media platforms using the hashtag: #EquitableLandRights #StrategicPartnerships
Twitter: @KELINKenya
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For more information, please contact;
Kenneth Otieno
Programme Officer.
P O Box 112 – 00202 KNH Nairobi,
Tel: 020, 2515790 │Mobile: +254790339964
E-mail: kotieno@kelinkenya.org
Website: www.kelinkenya.org
