YWCA Response

Following an appeal launched on January 9, 2008, the World YWCA and YWCA of Kenya partnered to respond to the crisis in Kenya in three areas:

• Ensuring the needs of women in camps for the internally displaced are catered for
• Promoting the inclusion of women in mediation efforts
• Fostering community peace by promoting mutual respect for diversity

Key Results

1. Humanitarian Response

The World YWCA:

• Carried out Rapid Needs Assessment in partnership with the YWCA of Kenya and the Kenya Red Cross Society to determine needs of women and children in camps for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Mombassa, Kisumu and Siaya, including YWCA premises serving as shelter; reports shared with partners worldwide.
• Provided financial and in-kind assistance to women in transit camps and at YWCA premises; women returning home to rebuild their lives; and to young women who preferred to return home at night but spend their days at the YWCA.
• Provided special assistance for women, particularly pregnant and lactating mothers, girls and children with immediate basic needs including food, shelter, sanitation, sanitary towels, firewood, clothing, counseling and medical referrals.
• Partnered with the Kenya Red Cross Society and Solidarity with Women in Distress (SOLWODI) to provide food supply to displaced women staying with relatives or friends after leaving the YWCA temporary shelter.
• Through YWCA, SOLWODI assisted six young mothers, homeless after the post-election violence, with house rent for six months. SOLWODI is also making plans to give young women seed money to start a business. The YWCA donated household items, clothes and baby napkins to the young mothers.
• Facilitated training of internally displaced women in business management skills.

HIV-positive women

• Two HIV-positive young women from the IDPs camps were introduced to the local network of women living positively with HIV—a group that works closely with the YWCA of Mombasa.
• YWCA of Mombasa provided counseling to HIV-positive young women and referred them to a programme to start ARV therapy.

2. Inclusion of women in the mediation efforts

• World YWCA initiated capacity building on the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and the African Union Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality for YWCA of Kenya members and partner women’s organisations to facilitate effective advocacy through the mediation efforts.
• YWCA of Kenya participated in women’s consultations to consolidate women’s voices to government and opposition, civil society and religious mediation teams (Women in Kenya Together and National Women’s Negotiation Team). YWCA of Kenya contributed to the Kenya Women’s Statement to the Kofi Annan mediation team.
• YWCA of Kenya was an active member of the NGO network advocating for gender issues in mediation in close cooperation with Maendeleo Ya Wanawake, Urgent Action Fund-Africa and UNIFEM.
  Mwajuma Abok, YWCA of Kenya General Secretary, served as a member of the inter-religious mediation team working for peace and reconciliation.
• Nyaradzai Gumbonzvanda, World YWCA General Secretary, participated in the World Council of Churches Living Letters visit to Kenya during which highlighting the mobilisation of ordinary women in mediation efforts.

3. Community peace building and respect for diversity

YWCA Kenya organised a meeting in partnership with the World Council of Churches Living Letters delegation for women to advocate for inclusion of women-of-faith in the ongoing peace process.

4. Advocacy and media

The World YWCA,

• Raised awareness on women’s issues arising from the post-election conflict in Kenya during meetings at global level and mobilised partnership for Kenyan women living with HIV affected by the crisis.
• In partnership with Kenya YWCA produced reports, action alerts and articles highlighting challenges women in Kenya faced after violence broke out in Kenya; statements and alerts were republished on AllAfrica.com, Isis-Women, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, among other networks
• Participated in the “Heal the Nation Campaign” an initiative of Kenya Women Journalist coordinated by Africa Women and Child Features in partnership with Norway and Sweden;
• Presented a statement to participants at the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York on women’s inclusion in Kenya peace mediation.
• Promoted women’s involvement in mediation and expounded on the work of the World YWCA and YWCA of Kenya on a radio interview with Voice of America and feature article in Continent Premier.
• A leading Kenyan newspaper, The East African Standard, featured the work of the YWCA of Kenya in camps for IDPs in Siaya.

5. Partnerships and resource mobilisation

• The YWCA response effort received contributions of USD 92,070 (of a total appeal for USD 100,000) from the World YWCA, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, YMCA/YWCA of Denmark, World YWCA member associations and individuals from around the world.
• Moral support letters were sent to YWCA of Kenya from over 30 YWCAs worldwide.
• The YWCA of Kenya increased collaboration with local organisations such as Kenya Red Cross Society, Concerned Women of Kenya, Health Service Organisation (Hennet), National Council of Churches in Kenya, Network of women’s and peace organisations, Urgent Action Fund-Africa, UNIFEM.
• Strengthened partnership with ecumenical organisations All Africa Conference of Churches and World Council of Churches.

Next steps

While the short-term objectives in Kenya are to end violence, the long-term effort must focus on justice and building communities of respect, tolerance, and reverence for diversity. The leadership of women is crucial in this endeavour.

• Continue support and capacity building on peace mediation
• Convene consultation on women in multi-ethnic marriage
• Facilitate consultation on women, peace with justice and religion
• Continue providing food and sanitary towels on a regular basis to women, girls and children, even after they return to their homes
• Provide lactating mothers and children under five with appropriate food, milk formula, high nutritious porridge flour, and diapers.
• In collaboration with health institutions, facilitate mothers with babies to access antenatal care services, pregnant women with prenatal service, women on family planning programmes with access to the necessary services and HIV-positive women with reliable and easy access to ARVs.

Related Links

• World YWCA calls for continued effective inclusion of women in implementing peace agreement in Kenya
• Women at camps in Kenya need health services, YWCA analysis finds
• Religious Leaders Solidarity Visit finds hope amongst suffering
• Action alert: 250,000 homeless in Kenya after post-election violence
• World YWCA and Kenya YWCA responds to post-election crisis in Kenya
• YWCA calls for peace with justice and protection of women’s rights in Kenya