The Annual Women’s Rights Convention 2021 themed “Kenyan Women Rising” was a two-day event where discussions on the dynamics of power and how it determines the way men and women are treated by institutions, policies, and laws took centre stage. The way people are treated forms an integral part of what it means to be socially, economically and politically included. 

The conference discussed gendered hierarchies and how this fuels discrimination and exclusion and why it is important for women to understand these dynamics especially as they ascend into male dominated spaces of leadership and decision making. Additionally, there were discussions on what women’s voice really is beyond just speaking and why it is crucial to maintain and sustain the spirit of solidarity and sisterhood with the women’s rights networks from both the national and grassroots levels that have worked to open up male dominated spaces and to keep those spaces open so as to deliver better outcomes for women. 

There were reflections on the importance of women learning to work together across the generations and separately in their respective areas of engagement to safeguard women’s hard won celebrated constitutional gains and appreciating every aspect of the struggle and why it is important for all women. There were discussions on women’s challenges, resilience; celebration of the victories; and engaging conversations and stories around gender and other social justice issues including women’s political engagement, economic empowerment and gender-based violence. 

The two-day event discussed strategies of how women can be at the forefront of promoting inclusivity, diversity and equity. The convention took an intergenerational approach by having young women playing key roles and carrying out interviews streamed live on social media platforms. The interviews added a platform for more views on the theme and increased participation of stakeholders especially the younger women. It also sparked debates on current issues and bring more life to the conv