support was necessary for their healing process to start. She spoke of the positive
outcome of this project so far, which is the result of strategic capacity building on
agribusiness, consultation and collaboration with government institutions, followed by
close monitoring. She underlined how these women, through social mobilization have
assisted each other. The recognition of the sexual and reproductive challenges faced by
the widows, HIV/AIDS and reproductive health was further mainstreamed in this project.
She indicated that the constitution of Kenya promulgated in August 2010, if implemented
and enforced, could have potential for improving the situation of minority women. Her
recommendations included: the Government should make efforts to protect the gains so
far made in the Constitution; NGOs have a responsibility in mobilizing minority women
and grassroots communities to be vigilant and watchful on all violations of their rights
and take appropriate action; building the economic capacity of minority women is pivotal
in their progression to satisfy basic needs at personal and household levels, gain
knowledge and build confidence, make informed decisions, gain respect from the wider
society, including men, and making these women ambassadors of change; capacitybuilding should include skills training in livelihoods diversification, increasing
knowledge base, and access to credit and facilitating access to market. Non-formal and
flexible learning approaches should be promoted.
Ms. Mariam Yassin Hagi Yussuf, from Somalia, focused her presentation on the
situation of minority women in conflict situation. She mentioned that there are many
obstacles faced by minority women in accessing economic, social and cultural rights in
Somalia, including: intersecting forms of discrimination, harmful practices, lack of social
protection and forced marriages. To address those, she provided recommendations,
including: international law should be incorporated into domestic law; national pressure
groups should be established to advocate for the rights of minority women and monitor
governments’ implementation of their international obligations; discrimination within
minority communities should be tackled and not denied and synergies should be
established within those communities; in conflict or post-conflict areas the Constitutionmaking processes should be used to mainstream women and minority rights, including by
giving minority women the opportunity to go through the various articles of the draft
constitution and analyze them from a minority and women’s rights perspective; United
Nations Agencies should be at the forefront of the implementation of resolutions on
women and minorities, and especially in conflict zones, and ensure women and minority
women’s effective participation in conflict resolution.
Discussion
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