HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 779641,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/779641/?format=api",
"text_counter": 89,
"type": "other",
"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "recognize the women of this country and around the world on this auspicious day. This day is over 100 years old and is a major day of global celebration for the economic, political and social achievements of women. It makes women of the past proud, women of the current inspired and women of the future envisioned. It is a day women around the world unite in thought, prayers, struggle, hope, aspirations and dreams. Women’s contributions in the fields of Medicine, Law, Science, Public Service, Sports, among others, have made this world a better place. This is, indeed, an opportunity not only to reflect on the accomplishments of women, but also create a connection with all the women around the world. As this Senate, I stand to ensure that, that happens on this day. Mr. Speaker, Sir, today we stand with our sisters, especially those who know no peace. Behind every wall and door, there are women who know no peace. We stand with those who struggle to make ends meet and those who are oppressed and victims of all sorts of violence, sexual and others. We stand with those who have no access to healthcare. We hold all those women in our hearts. As part of our outreach on the International Women’s Day, Sen. Chebeni, Sen. Omanga and I spent the morning at the Lang’ata Maximum Women’s Prison, where we stayed with the women and their children. There are over 50 children whose mothers are serving time in Lang’ata Women’s Prison. Some of the women are there because they could not raise a fine of Kshs1,000 or Kshs2000. It is a shame for us to have such petty offenders being held in our prisons for such kind of amounts. We should look at alternative ways of correcting some of these things. We learnt that some of the hawkers who cannot pay a Ksh1,000 are being held there. We are here to make sure that some policies and legislation that will provide for alternative ways of dealing with women petty offenders are looked into on the Floor of this House. My heart, therefore, goes out to especially those women that are pregnant in prison. There are pregnant women who give birth while in prison. It is a fact that the pregnant women rarely receive adequate antenatal care under such conditions. It is also widely acknowledged that children of these women grow up and experience multiple and complex problems, social and otherwise. They are often overlooked as a group in its own right of special needs. These children require political recognition and research attention. There is also need for criminal justice and wider health education, social care policies and practices to address the serious and wide- ranging implications of parenting in imprisonment. In every county we see these women with their children serving sentences for very petty offences. Mr. Speaker, Sir, Article 53 of the 2010 Constitution recognises the need for all children to be protected from abuse, neglect, harmful cultural practices and all forms of violence, inhumane treatment and punishment. It affirms that children have basic rights, including the right to education, nutrition, shelter, healthcare and parental care. These provisions are aligned with those cited both in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) to which Kenya is a signatory. We urge the Senate to legislate, domesticate and cascade these charters. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}