Women are the key to unlocking economic growth, says US leader
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US President Barack Obama has challenged Kenya to empower women and girls in order to achieve its development dream faster.
The growth of Kenya’s economy, he said yesterday, will be greatly determined by girl education and employment of women.
In his address to Kenyans from the Safaricom Indoor Arena at the Kasarani Stadium, the US leader pledged support to Kenyan and African youth through the Youth of Africa Leadership Initiative (YALI), an initiative that seeks to mentor the next generation of African leaders.
President Obama said the fact that Kenya comes from a past where women were treated as second-class citizens does not mean things have to stay that way.
He called for an end to repressive traditions such as female genital mutilation and early marriages, practices that stand in the way of progress.
“There is no excuse for sexual assault or domestic violence. They have no place in the 21st century. Any nation that fails to educate its women is doomed to fall behind the world economy,” he said.
He also highlighted the great strides made by Kenyan women as evidence of the value of women in the society.
Among the women that he commended was Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai, who in the 90s championed the fight for environmental conservation.
“Kenya continues to carve out a distinct place among the nations. The country is a leader for conservation, following in the footprints of Wangari Maathai,” he said.
He also cited key innovations by youthful Kenyan women as examples to others, most notably M-Farm, an app for farmers that was founded by 31-year-old computer-scientist Jamila Abbas .
The US leader seemed clearly intrigued by the achievements made by Kenyan women, and at one point joked about First Lady Margaret Kenyatta winning one of the global marathon championships.
Mrs Kenyatta made history after running in the 2014 London marathon to raise funds for her Beyond Zero campaign that seeks to reduce maternal and child deaths.
Meanwhile, the National Gender and Equality Commission has lauded President Obama for his strong support for women.
“We reiterate our call to the leadership of this country to demonstrate political leadership and goodwill towards the passage of a legal framework that will ensure the realisation of the two-thirds gender principle in political representation as provided for in Article 27 of the Constitution,” said NGEC chairperson in a statement sent to newsrooms.
President Obama also discouraged local youth from seeking foreign help and education, and urged them to take advantage of the progress made at home to lift themselves.
“When it comes to the youth, I believe there is no limit to what you can achieve. Because of Kenyan progress and because of your potential, you can build your future right here, right now,” he said.
Reference : www.nation.co.ke