Fatuma Mohammed Advocates for Gender Parity through Positive Competition

Migori – In Migori town, Woman Representative Fatuma Mohammed has called for positive competition across all sectors to amplify women’s voices in the Kenyan workforce. This call was made during a caucus that convened various women groups in Migori County. The event focused on strengthening the role of women both inside and outside parliament.

According to Kenya News Agency, the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (KWOPA) is dedicated to unifying women from diverse backgrounds to enhance their welfare. KWOPA’s mandate includes promoting democracy, advocating for women’s rights, and encouraging inclusive governance within political parties.

Fatuma highlighted that Kenyan woman confront multiple challenges, including gender-based violence, teenage pregnancies, early marriages, and female genital mutilation, alongside the struggle for equal representation in leadership roles. She emphasized that the goal is not to compete with men for leadership positions but to achieve gender equality and the same rights and treatment as their male counterparts.

Remarkably, Fatuma was elected as an independent candidate in the 2022 general elections, becoming the first Woman Representative MP elected in the Nyanza Region. She urged men to actively support women, creating a balanced society that contributes to overall growth.

The legislator stressed the importance of healthy and positive competition with men, allowing women to demonstrate their capabilities in political and other spheres. She also called on Migori parents to protect their children during the December holiday to reduce new HIV infections and mother-to-child transmissions, which significantly impact women’s progress in society.

Migori County is among the top five counties in Kenya with a high HIV prevalence rate of 10.4 percent, with women bearing a significant burden of the HIV epidemic.

Kegan Mwangi from KWOPA, who was present with Fatuma, elaborated on KWOPA’s role in supporting women parliamentarians in fulfilling their legislative, oversight, and representative duties. Mwangi confirmed KWOPA’s commitment to the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, aiming to defend the rights of all women in the county.