 Well, in the spirit of the women who have taken to the streets and decided not to make noise on Twitter and all those in Sudan that took a risk, we are here to appreciate you. Isn't that right, guys? We are. We are. We have. We have. We have. We have. We have. We have. We have. We have. We have. We have. We have. We have. We have. We have. We have. We have. We have. We have. We have. We have. We have made a mistake to ensure that we get her. The gender built recently went back to parliament, but do we need this bill anyway? So let's talk. Let me hear from you. There are so many reasons were we men are not stepping up in the leadership sector. And if we talk about like here in Kenya and also Africa as a continent, you find women are still not stepping up in leadership positions. So what are those reasons? Yes. One reason we can talk about is the societal norms or the cultural practices that we have always had in our societies. You find that women have always been confined to the kitchen and they have always been taught that they cannot be leaders or that they cannot be elected into leadership positions. Another reason you find that most of the time we are not advocating for them to stand up. We are not training them on how or rather giving them capacity building on how now they can step up and train them of leadership traits and attributes. Because many people believe that leaders are born, yes, leaders are born, but effective and impactful leaders are trained. So we have to train them and give them the leadership traits and attributes for them now to be able to step up against the men in those societies. Christy, you look like you strongly disagree. It's like we left you somewhere, yet you are the peace builder. I would want to agree and disagree with some of the statements that he has made because it's not like we don't have a representation of women in government. In fact, we have a lot of women working behind the scenes to champion the men. In this case, we don't want to be against the men. It's not like we are looking to have all the men outside and us taking up the position. We are looking at how we can then work together to form all these issues that we want to address. It's not necessarily having a woman in front to then lead all the women. No. In fact, we are asking for, excuse me, a man who can be able to also champion women issues. Because look at it, who gave back to this man, the woman? Men are known to be close to their mothers. So we can't work against them. We have to work with them. So what we are asking for is the goodwill to have more women voices represented in decision-making tables. OK. Yes. So guys, do you think the societal norms is the reason why Kenyan women are not stepping up to the platter? Oh, the microphone, the microphone. I think to some level, the societal norms play a part because from the time, from the time someone is born, this socialization of leadership is for the men. And you find that many women don't even stand up for these positions for many other reasons, maybe for finances, maybe they cannot afford to stand. But even when they stand, are they really supported when they get into these leadership positions? Because people have been socialized that leadership is for the men. But then, I agree with her. It's not about fighting the men. It's about coming together to ensure that women voices are heard. You know, a woman leader focuses on a cause. A woman leader is passionate on what she does. It's about finding out how we can work together and not really bashing and fighting the men. But also, we want representation as women. We want women to see women in leadership. We want women to be able to stand and people vote. And I'm really happy because just recently, as you're talking about training, there was a launch on the curriculum to train women to be able to stand. Also, an affirmative fund to be able to fund women to come up because these are some of the reasons that are hindering them to be able to be at this decision making table. OK, great. So let's hear from one of the gentlemen who are here to champion us today. Kaberia, would you like to say something? Well, thank you so much. I think I agree and agree also to some extent because I believe for women to take up the position also, we really need some more things like the police announcement and even some legislations, which are really favoring the women to take up the positions. So that's why even when you look at the GDP, which was there, which was it has been having some a lot of issues. We have seen some deliberate support by either the male or the female colleagues, so that at least we can maybe to hear that the women from taking that. So I believe as much as there are societal and other things, we also need some legislation and policy framework, which will be able now at least to guide the process and even to be able to to spell out and to empower the women. OK, someone else has something to say. Great. First of all, I would say women really want to come out. But the society norms, there's this society norm that as the lady builds up her career, it reaches a point. She has to choose between success and the family expectations. You have to bear the children. And that's the time when your career is at the top. And also there's this thing that is called the Tiara syndrome. The what syndrome? The Tiara. This is where women just want to do just to be somewhere and do something and wait for people to recognize and acknowledge them. You see, we might give women these policies. We might give women chances. We might give them the affirmative action. But if we ourselves do not want to come out fiercely, as Christine put it, many women are working behind the scenes, promoting the men, building the men, uplifting the men. But they don't want themselves to come. There was this statistic I can't remember exactly. It said that women, when we're in high school and our campuses, we compete equally with the men. But when we come out there, we are waiting for someone to recognize us and give us that opportunity. It also said that when ladies don't want to take up new skills and opportunities, you'll find a lady will give you right now an opportunity. You'll ask, you'll say, I don't have the skills. I don't, I don't know how we lie or accommodate. I really don't think I'm capable for the job. Have between been challenged by Sudan, the women in Sudan. They also have some very challenging societal norms, but they've proved that this is just a story, that it can be done. But how far is far? We are saying we are putting our progress, but how far is far? You know, we might be scaling at 0.2%. But I would say these expectations come deep down. When you ask for an opportunity, you clearly, when it came in, you asked us, who will sit there in front, the ladies? How many were, how many wanted to come out? We were like, at first, I'm not sure I'm fit to sit there. By the way, even just a few minutes ago, and we're all here as gender activists, you see? It goes deep down, it goes deep down. Thank you. And I think we, as Kenyans in this case, we do not necessarily live up to all our, the opportunities that we've been given. For instance, look at the power of public participation. And that, honestly, is what has led Sudan and the whole revolution that's happening right now. That revolution was mobilized on Facebook. But us guys, we want to bash Nigerians when they want to come and talk about Kenyan women or Kenyan food or Kenyan issues. Why don't we then mobilize ourselves better to make sure that we have systematic regime changes on issues that we really care about? How many of us even here are willing to take up the challenge and start groups that are going to specifically identify some issues within society that are not necessarily the norm, the day-to-day livelihoods? Because I mean, Alas is an engineer and an architect for that matter. And I mean, these are fields that are considered main male dominance, but she took it upon herself to form a social movement. So what does that tell us as women? We have it within us, but we have to step it up. You know, fine, our society will tell us, no, you have to let the man shine, but you have been working with behind the scenes. We do all the hard stuff, they only implement. So now, fine, we have all the policies framework which are gathering dust in the shelves, honestly. How then do we form a mechanism that are going to address all these issues? Speak of social injustices. Now we're talking about family size. I mean, we have a lot of women in Kenya now, 37 or is it 38? Yes, they're 37. Just last night, we have a woman who is now in hospital because of relationship issues. And this is something that has been growing since probably when we were children. Because then, our mothers are now trying so hard to be entrepreneurial and have a standard in life that we do not necessarily have. But then these are societal terms that we are now challenging. Where is the money in this picture? And why are these women trying so hard? And now when it comes to a woman now seeking solace in relationships, then the man comes to abuse that. What does that tell us as a society? What does that speak of us as a transitioning society? Christine, stop right there. We have a vice chair lady from our university. And these deaths that we are seeing are happening to students. Can you say something about your female students? And also, I would also like to hear a statement from the women welfare. Wasua, yes, I'd like to hear something from them as well. Yes, so please go ahead. OK, first of all, what I'd like to say is that nothing justifies mother at all. We may try and justify. We may try and come up with reasons as to why some of these feminicides are happening. But we have to really understand that life is sacred. And whoever gives life is the only one who has the power to take it away. So let's first look at the underlying issues before we start covering up, as we've always done as a society, and coming up with reasons as to why this and this is happening. First of all, our moral fabric of the society has been degraded for both men and women. We've come to a society that murder is something that's normal, something that used to be so abnormal a few years back. So let us ask ourselves what's happening to the younger generation. Relationships have been there since time immemorial, ever since life, you know, the world was created. Relationships have been in existence. But why is it that our young people cannot handle relationship issues? Why is it that now, if I get into an argument with my boyfriend, the first thing I'm thinking is taking a knife and stabbing him. What's the issues that the younger generation is facing that the other generations have not been, have been able to overcome? And one of the things I think is really, is really affecting us as young people is upbringing. We've been bringing. Yes. That's where everything went left. Yes. Because you've been brought up in a society where we've not had emotional support systems for most of us. You know, parents are busy, your relatives are busy, your friends are busy, and nobody really asks you how are you, how are you doing? And nobody's really, you know, really there for you emotionally. So you find out that if you find that one person who is really ready to listen to you, you give them your all. Meaning that if this one person just decides to leave you, then it becomes a matter of do or die situation. Also, when it comes to men, men are being raised in a society with a lot of pressure. Wait, let's not talk for the men. They are here, let them speak for themselves. Okay, so for women, I believe it's time that we, we spoke up for ourselves, we stand up as women, and we stop justifying issues because we are our greatest enemies. You find out that if I want to rise up, most of the women are the people who are bringing me down. So how as women are we supporting our fellow women to be emotionally stable, to be financially stable, so they don't really have to rely on men. And so when things go south, people are saying, you know, she was being sponsored, she was being, you know. Victim blaming and screaming. Victim blaming, and most of it is coming down to finances. So what are we doing as women to empower our fellow young women economically and emotionally? So that when they come up and they go to campus, they're able to handle issues, they're able to look for their own money so that we don't really have to victimize them when things go south. First of all, much condolences to the family of Ivy. Yes. We are re-in prayers about the issue of femicide. Actually, number one, it's about parental care. Like when we reach the age of 18, our parents stop being our parents. Oh. Now, like for example, universities, for example, for example, in our universities, there are no counseling offices. There's no one we can talk to. There's no one we can approach to help us tackle our problems. Society, there's also this judgmental society, you know. When you go and talk to society, let me say you go and talk to someone about your problems. They judge you, they don't offer solutions, but they attack you, they mock you. Now I think, for example, the issue of femicide, as you should also learn to take rejections positively. When someone rejects you, that's not the end of it. There's still life after that. Okay, okay, okay, great, great, great. Can we, can we get, you guys, we have 12 minutes. 12 minutes, so we gotta make it real quick. Yes, so I think for femicide, what's our advice to the, the advice I'll give to the ladies, if you see the red light kindly, just move out of that relationship. You know, in all abusive relationships, it doesn't start with murder. It's always an abuse. After abuse, it escalates, then after that, it's murder. Before we realize it, then also in the media also, like for example, in Twitter, we talk about it for one and two, three days, then after that, it's over. Like IVs issue, like for some of us, it's a bygone case. Also, there's this student who was stabbed. Yes, it was. A student from Puan, yes. That should have been a lesson. IVs should have been a lesson to us. We should have come out. We shouldn't just be keyboard warriors, just typing and taking no action. The government should step in. Polices should be implemented that will, that will, for example, look at how we can handle this issue of femicide. All right, all right, please, can we have, okay, can we have your sentiments real quick? Then we can hear from our gentleman. For me, I will talk about leadership. Yes. Not forgetting the femicide, but it's just that I think for women, we could sum it up as confidence. We need to be confident enough to stand up for ourselves. We need to build a sisterhood. We need to be able to, you know, just have a gathering of people who can support you. And the other thing I would say is that, be able to step up and even take credit for anything good that you say. Wow. The guy, you know, if you have done some work and then they take credit and say, this is my work, no? So take credit for your own work. Yeah, take credit for something that you've done. Yes, so that is what I would say. I like that. Can we have, can we have for my gentleman, please? Yes, I want to mention two things. And before I mention, let me conquer with the speaker who stated that nothing justifies murder. Yes. So I want to talk about regeneration and hardship. When you are rejected, you are subjected to a hardship that is sometimes unsustainable. But sometimes it depends on individual. So sometimes maybe unsustainable, but what do we do? We should, we should, as youths in our generation, we should learn ways to be able to accommodate stress and overcome stress. So we are having an issue of overcoming stress because I've even heard the word unsustainable hardships. There's no such thing. Yeah. When you are stressed, you are in a hardship that sometimes is very difficult to deal with. So what happens is that we need to learn how to accommodate and overcome this stress. Two, let's talk of regeneration. You know, we understand we are in the 21st generation, but even as we are in, we accept that our past, we have had a glorious past and we also future, we also plan for, we also foresee a better future. So in this sense, through whatever we experience, we therefore need to understand the concept of our generation. There's a generation that is expected to be the most superb and even the reasonings and even in every activity that happens. So that's why I say that we need the regeneration for this generation. We need to regenerate this generation. Please can we have another microphone? Come forward to this gentleman here at the front. Yes, please say something, sir. You look like you are really reacting emotionally somewhere. Yeah, something wants to come out. Something wants to come out. Yeah, let's hear it. First and foremost, I would want to say, in terms of leadership, let me talk about, I think we've talked about leadership and relationship a little bit. And leadership, I think women should stop talking. Let's do this. You do it. You don't just talk on Twitter. You just don't do things on Facebook and talk about policies and all these things. Do you know what I feel like I just want a clap for you, I guess. You just clap for that. We stop talking. The difference between the women in leadership right now and the women who are out there talking about this to gender, to that gender rule is the action. And also these women who are in leadership, they should also cultivate a culture of actually mentoring these other women. We've seen politicians having psychophones and many of those are men. Let's have women also. Let's talk about psychophones of women, because they've been mentored by a woman. Because for you to reach somewhere, you have to at least be very creative and know that you have to be somewhere in the future. So you have to stick here around. You don't just go there. You don't just work up to there and say, I want to be the president. So I think you've touched on role models, something like role model. Like we need to be each other's role model if we want to be in leadership. And if I also want to comment on relationships, and I would like to say some men have been raised in a way that you don't have a father or a father figure or something like that. That's a very, very, very, very key thing in a man's life. You have to know how our relationships are being handled. Let us not. If also women can reject you as a man. And when a man sets his eyes on a woman and wants that woman, you will always try your best. Do whatever you can do. Even you can send money, you can do a lot of things. But the problem is, the problem will come when that woman says, you know what? I really don't feel that connection. But you just have to accept it as a man and move on. There are so many women out there who can actually, you can treat them well and they will be appreciated. OK, Hilda. Wait, as a parting shot, because we did to wind up. I'm so sorry, you guys. We have to do part two next week, yeah? We must continue next week. We must continue. So we've got to cut it short for now. But anyway, Ruben, can we have your last parting shot then? Yeah. I would like to say that no matter how many times we talk about why women are not stepping up, we also need to look at what is the root cause of this. We need to go back to the childhood. They are bringing women how, what affected them. Since the time that they were being brought by the parents, because you find that this is the root cause of the kind of challenge we have for women right now. We have a childhood where the girl child is bought a toy that is a dolly. So that girl child will grow up knowing that their role in the society is motherhood. You have a boy being bought airplanes and cars. They grow up knowing that they are all in the society to get success and buy all these cars. So you find that. Relationship is secondary. Yes, that is the first mindset that we set to these children. And the mindset is a very powerful tool. And it casts both ways. If it is negative, it is going to destroy the future of these children. So you find that we need to instill a different mindset way during the parenting stage of the children. That's why we have these relationship issues. You find that we also concentrated so much with the girl child empowerment. Nobody is talking about the boy child empowerment. We are here with you people. What do you mean? That is why I feel that today we have a woman who is really empowered. They are emotionally stable against a man who is insecure and they are feeling threatened. OK, now it's mixed in. We are having a man who doesn't want to be told no. They cannot take a no for an answer. Because they feel threatened by the girl child. So we also need to look at how we can engage the men in this talk of empowering women. Because they are the biggest stakeholders here. Men are the biggest stakeholders. So we need to also engage them. As we empower the women, we need to involve them. We should clap for that. Yes, and they're like, yes, thank you. That is why I'm here today. Because I believe that when we are having a talk about women leadership and especially youthful women leadership, we also need to involve the men in the talk. It is very important. All right, so we need to involve the men. I'm hearing a lot of how we can heal our society. It's first to heal the family. The family set up and upbringing. And our parents need to be there for us emotionally, not only through providing for us the basics. And I can hear a lot of that. But we got to cut this short shift, guys. I'm so sorry. Can I help? OK, as a parting short, I'm going to let the lady because she has really insisted something wants to come out. I'm going to let you close this segment for us. Please make sure you do catch up with our Panari giveaway for Easter in case you're watching at home and you're interested in having a nice gig with your better parts, your better half, or even your mama, whoever, because it's Easter. You know, it could be a family time. Make sure you do catch up, slide into our social media handles, and let us know who you'd like to go with your favorite Easter moment. And yes, the baby might just win some tickets. So yes, it's about time we tap on. My name is Hilda Adidi. This is Youth Ed Politics. Next week, we are still back here. See you there, you guys. All right, so now finish it for us.