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"speaker_name": "Ms. Karua",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs",
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"content": " Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me the opportunity to support this very noble Motion. I want to congratulate the Mover and my colleague on the Opposition side, Mr. Ojaamong, for proving one point: That we truly need this gender policy. It is quite obvious that there is very little, if any, understanding of gender issues in this country. It is taken for granted, including by some hon. Members, that gender means women. Gender is not another name for women. Gender refers to the socially constructed roles of both men and women. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, anybody who has read this policy paper sees that it is talking about men, women, boys and girls. I would urge hon. Members to carefully read this Sessional Paper on Gender Equality and Development, so that we all may understand what we mean by gender. It is also quite obvious that there is need for fostering good relations between men and women/boys and girls, as well as developing a culture of mutual respect, so that members of one gender do not suffer from superiority complex as members of the other gender imagine that they have answers to everything, and that members of the other gender lack in understanding. 3086 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES October 19, 2006 It is my hope that once this policy paper is passed by this House, the Ministry will, vigorously, engage in a campaign to enlighten both policy makers like hon. Members of this august House, people in key decision-making positions and, generally, the society at large. I was impressed that the hon. Member who has just contributed was able to, candidly, declare his interest in this Motion. However, at the same time, it is not correct to say that wherever there is disharmony in the house, one party must have been influenced. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the assumption, generally, is that there is a party who has been influenced. It is good to credit either spouse with sufficient intelligence. Just like they intelligently and independently made the decision to come together, informed by their strained relations, they can make a decision to end that union. People should not look for others to blame when they are in problem. They should look at their own behaviour, see where they have contributed to the problem and see what lessons they can learn from the situation. I hope that in that context, people will appreciate the tremendous contribution that is made by civil society organisations, including women's organisations. I want, at the outset, to declare my interest and say that I have been a very active member of FIDA until I entered Government. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I know that, that organisation is doing, and has been doing, tremendous work in this country, including raising awareness on women's right issues and helping members of the society when they cannot access the courts. I know that this may have aggrieved one or two persons, but it has also pleased many people. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this organisation, together with others, is helping the indigent members of our society to access the justice system and become aware of their rights. I also know for a fact that other than those who are employed by the organisation, members who take cases to court, do so on a pro bono basis. I used to take many cases to court on behalf of the organisation on a purely pro bono basis. It is, therefore, not correct to say that women are enriching themselves with donor money. Women, and quite a number of men, in the rights organisations and the civil society, are giving their time and intellectual resources to the less advantaged Kenyans to help them access their rights. Of course, there are a few who are employed by the organisations, who are legitimately earning their salaries just like the hon. Members legitimately earn their salaries. It is, therefore, not proper for anybody to assume that the civil societies are carrying out any unlawful or anti-social activities. If anything, they are helping the society. I would, therefore, urge hon. Members to try and understand the operations of the civil societies. If there is a wayward member, we should not lump them together. We should encourage them to enlighten their members. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I also know for a fact that FIDA, like any other organisation that is helping people to access their right, also plays the role of a conciliator. Where parties are willing, they are talked to. They even engage the services of counsellors to counsel parties to a marriage and to help heal the marriage. Anybody who experiences failure after that, have themselves to blame. You should not look for scapegoats for your failure, either in your business or in your personal relationships. Let us take up responsibility."
}