Makueni Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili Speaking during the International Women's Day held at Wote Green on March 9, 2026. Photo by Andrew Mbuva. 
By Andrew Mbuva
Makueni leaders and stakeholders have called for urgent and collective action to advance women’s rights, eliminate gender-based violence and expand opportunities for girls and women during this year’s International Women’s Day celebrations held at Wote Green Park.
Speaking during the event, Makueni Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili said the global commemoration, marked under the theme “Rights. Justice. Action for All Women and Girls,” is a reminder that gender equality must move beyond policy statements and become a lived reality in homes, institutions and leadership spaces.
Mulili noted that the theme emphasizes the need for strong legal protections, equal access to justice and deliberate action to ensure no woman or girl is left behind.
She highlighted several priority areas including strengthening legal frameworks to address gender-based violence, promoting women’s economic empowerment, supporting girls’ education in science and digital skills, enhancing women’s participation in climate resilience and ensuring greater representation of women in leadership and governance.
The Deputy Governor observed that women remain the backbone of society, contributing significantly as farmers, entrepreneurs, caregivers and leaders.
She said the Makueni County Government has demonstrated commitment to gender inclusion, noting that women currently make up about 61 percent of the county government workforce, reflecting deliberate efforts to promote equitable representation.
Despite the progress, Mulili acknowledged that many women and girls still face serious challenges including sexual and gender-based violence, early pregnancies, school dropouts and limited economic opportunities.
She revealed that the county has established several policy frameworks aimed at strengthening protection and empowerment, including the County Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Policy, Gender Policy, Children Policy, Persons with Disability Policy and the Social Protection Policy.
To support survivors of violence, the county government has also established a Gender-Based Violence Recovery Centre at Wote Level 4 Hospital, which provides free medical care and psychosocial support.
Mulili urged development partners to support the expansion of such services across other sub-county hospitals and establish safe shelters for survivors.
She also highlighted ongoing partnerships with organizations such as the Gender Violence Recovery Centre of the Nairobi Women’s Hospital, Fadhili Trust, Cheshire Disability Kenya and Action Aid to strengthen prevention and response mechanisms against gender-based violence.
Makueni County Director in the State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action, Maureen Munywoki, emphasized that the commemoration was postponed to Monday to allow broader participation since March 8 fell on a Sunday.
She called for increased efforts to protect women’s rights in education, health and leadership, noting that women continue to face discrimination in many sectors.
Munywoki urged communities to support women seeking political and leadership positions and to strengthen legal protection and security for women facing violence and discrimination.
She also emphasized the need to move from discussions to concrete action in addressing gender inequality.
Civil society organizations also used the event to advocate for stronger protection of women and girls.
Ruth Maingi from the Makueni Youth Network said community groups are working to promote women’s rights and advocate for girls’ education, noting that many girls in rural communities still face barriers to schooling.
She further called for justice for survivors of gender-based violence and criticized the use of informal “kangaroo courts” in communities to handle such cases instead of legal institutions.
“We want every woman and girl facing gender-based violence to receive justice through proper legal channels,” she said.
From the private sector, Christine Kyalo of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) Makueni Chapter urged greater economic inclusion of women.
She encouraged women to take advantage of the Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) program, saying women entrepreneurs have the potential to excel in business when given the right support.
Kyalo also called on both national and county governments to ensure women are included in economic planning and development programs.
Health advocates also raised concerns about women’s health challenges.
Evelyn Mutua from NCD CBO Focus urged the government to strengthen maternal healthcare services and increase awareness on non-communicable diseases affecting women, including cancer, diabetes and hypertension.
She also called for sanitary products to be made more affordable to ensure girls remain in school.
The leaders concluded by emphasizing that advancing women’s rights requires collective responsibility from governments, civil society, the private sector and communities.
They stressed that empowering women and girls is key to sustainable development, noting that when women thrive, families, communities and the wider society benefit.
