On December 4–5, 2024, KELIN actively participated in the Eastern Africa Learning Collaborative (EALC) Annual Conference, themed “Agency, Gender, and Norms Transformation: Catalyzing Social and Behavioral Change.” The event convened civil society organizations, academics, and experts in policy, gender, and governance, creating a vibrant platform for thought leadership and actionable dialogue.
The conference aimed to strengthen the capacity of women-led and women-serving organizations across East Africa to foster gender justice, climate justice, sustainable land management, and women’s economic empowerment. Participants shared transformative strategies for challenging harmful social norms, bridging gaps in agency, and advancing advocacy frameworks that support equitable rights realization.
In her closing remarks, the Ugandan Commissioner for Gender and Women Affairs, Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, lauded the conference as timely and aligned with the ongoing 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. She urged stakeholders to extend advocacy to grassroots communities, emphasizing that many affected individuals lack access to such platforms and crucial information to improve their livelihoods.
Dr. Madanda Aramanzan of Care Uganda highlighted a critical challenge in his presentation: funder organizations’ insistence on overly detailed proposals and complex theories of change, which often exclude local women from accessing resources. He advocated for capacity sharing over capacity building, emphasizing that while women may face barriers in proposal writing, their interventions have tangible, life-changing impacts.
Kenneth Otieno underscored the importance of leveraging community structures to shift cultural norms through a rights-based approach. He spotlighted instances where women themselves perpetuate discriminatory practices, such as mothers-in-law opposing widows’ rights to inherit land. He called for efforts to dismantle such peer norms by engaging women and orphans directly, giving voice to their lived experiences and capacities.
Stakeholders unanimously concluded that grassroots advocacy, led by women at local, national, and international levels, is pivotal for addressing women’s land and property rights. Such collective action fosters political will and equitable reform in land governance.
KELIN remains committed to the EALC’s mission of driving global change through social norm transformation. Through our interventions in women’s land, property, and economic rights, we seek to influence practices, laws, and policies that pave the way for gender equality and justice in our communities.
This conference reaffirmed the transformative power of collective action, and KELIN is proud to stand at the forefront of these efforts. Together, we are advancing an agenda of hope, equality, and empowerment for women across Eastern Africa.
To contribute to the discussions on this forum, follow KELIN on our social media platforms using the hashtag: #EACL2024 #EquitableSocialNorms #WLPRights
Twitter: @KELINKenya @SYFFKenya/ Website: www.kelinkenya.org/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kelinkenya
For more information, please contact.
Kenneth Otieno, WLPR Programme Officer.
P O Box 112 – 00202 KNH Nairobi,
Tel: 020, 2515790 │Mobile: +254790339964
E-mail: kotieno@kelinkenya.org
