Join us in this final episode of the Feminists ni Sisi Tuko series with Florence Anoda as we discuss the role of the church and the community in accepting and not discriminating against anyone based on their background, the oppression of women in churches, and how we are all the Pussy Power movement.
Welcome to another podcast episode for the Feminists ni Sisi Tuko series.
In this episode, we talk about social justice and the feminist economy The economic liberation of women has helped a lot of women in the community, in not only being able to be empowered and have their resources but also reducing disputes and disagreements that lead to intimate partner violence.
Tune in to listen to some of these examples and incredible stories from the community.
#feministsnisisituko #swaibapodcast #cghrd
This week on the Feminists ni Sisi Tuko playlist, we explore how safeguarding against gender-based violence protects and upholds LGBTQ+ and sexual and reproductive health rights. We get to see the role that intersectionality plays in feminism and advancing gender rights.
The panelists unpack stories and challenges faced as feminists and HRDs and within the broader community advocating for women's rights.
Welcome back with another series on the Swaiba Podcast! Drum roll, please...
ta-da!
The Feminists ni Sisi Tuko mini-series!
In this episode our dear host Nyambura Mundia wonderfully joins as a panelist, joined by Njoki Gachanja, a political activist and coordinator of Githurai Social Justice Center, Jecinter Agunja, feminist activist and finance officer at CGHRD with Rachael Mwikali, our brilliant convenor and host for the Feminists ni Sisi Tuko series.
In this episode, we dive deep into feminist movement building and organizing and the challenges in the space. Our panelists share their experiences on the realities of grassroots organizing where gender and feminist discourse and work are appropriated and diluted.
They also highlight the realities of funding feminist work and give insight into donor accountability.
Please take a listen and share your thoughts with us!
Good things come in doubles! On this special bonus episode, our guests dive deeper into age-appropriate sexuality education. In a candid conversation, Ustadha Aisha and Margaret Nyambura discuss reservations, myths and misconceptions. The conversation starts on a question to Ustadha Aisha: “As a religious leader and teacher, when you hear the term ‘comprehensive sexual education’, what does that mean to you, and what concerns does it raise for you?”
Ustadha Aisha and Margaret Nyambura have both been guests on this Faith, Freedom and Feminism series. In case you haven’t, do tune into those episodes as well.
Ustadha Aisha is an Islamic teacher running a community-based organization, Soma Mama CBO, and a community centre, Darul Kheir Community Centre, both in Mukuru slums. Through her initiatives, Ustadha advocates for the education of Muslim women.
Margaret Nyambura is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya. She serves as Program Coordinator at the Kenya Legal & Ethical Issues Network on HIV and AIDS (KELIN). She is a Catholic who’s passionate about health law, and access to SRHR.
Continue following our series as we explore the link between religious norms and SGBV in Kenya.
Follow Swaiba Podcast on all socials: @swaibapodcast
Continuing our solutions-oriented leg of the series, we speak with Margaret Nyambura, a health advocate and Program Coordinator at KELiN. Yes, we have another Nyambura in studio! We are talking about age-appropriate sexuality education. What does it mean? What other terms are used? What are the myths and misconceptions we need to unpack? We also get into the historicity of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Kenya and statistics on teen pregnancy. Can we curb this through education? Join us to find out and share your thoughts.
This is a two-part episode. In case you missed it, do tune in to the first part, where we discuss the link between SRHR, SGBV and religious norms.
Margaret Nyambura is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya. She serves as Program Coordinator at the Kenya Legal & Ethical Issues Network on HIV and AIDS (KELIN). She is a Catholic who’s passsionate about health law, and access to SRHR.
Continue following our series as we explore the link between religious norms and SGBV in Kenya.
Follow Swaiba Podcast on all socials: @swaibapodcast
Continuing our solutions-oriented leg of the series, we speak with Margaret Nyambura, a health advocate and Program Coordinator at KELiN. Yes, we have another Nyambura in studio! We unpack how religious norms and sexual reproductive health rights (SRHR) are related. What can religious leaders and their communities do to improve/promote/safeguard the uptake of SRHR for women and girls? As we dive into this discussion, we also unpack “what’s politics got to do with it?” Nyambura Margaret explains how policies are formulated in Kenya and why we should understand how laws speak to each other. We also speak about SGBV and obstetrics violence. What needs to be done? Grab your notepads for this one!
This is a two-part episode, so do also tune in to the second part, where we unpack age-appropriate sexuality education.
Margaret Nyambura is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya. She serves as Program Coordinator at the Kenya Legal & Ethical Issues Network on HIV and AIDS (KELIN). She is a Catholic who’s passsionate about health law, and access to SRHR.
Continue following our series as we explore the link between religious norms and SGBV in Kenya.
Follow Swaiba Podcast on all socials: @swaibapodcast
On this episode, we speak with Ustadha Aisha, about women in Islam. Buidling on our conversation with Sheikh Lithome (Episode 4), we break myths and misconceptions against women in Islam. We explore how religious leaders and activists can come together to fight SGBV against women in Islam. What does Ustadha Aisha say? - Education is at the centre of it all!
Ustadha Aisha is doing great work in her community! She is an Islamic teacher running a community-based organization, Soma Mama CBO, and a community centre, Darul Kheir Community Centre, both in Mukuru slums. Through her initiatives, Ustadha advocates for the education of Muslim women. She says, “As long as a Muslim woman is educated, she is able to take care of herself and her community!” Tune in!
Continue following our series as we explore the link between religious norms and SGBV in Kenya.
Follow Swaiba Podcast on all socials: @swaibapodcast
Welcome back to the Swaiba Podcast Faith, Feminism and Freedom Series! In the first five episodes of this series, we spoke with religious leaders and activists to establish the state of religious norms and SGBV in Kenya. In the upcoming episodes, we are looking forward in a solutions-oriented manner.
On this episode, we speak with Ms. Tabitha Saoyo Griffith, as we seek to bridge the conversation between religious leaders and activists. Is there common ground? How do they work together to combat SGBV in Kenya?
Tabitha is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with over eight years' experience navigating the policy, human rights, health and governance spaces in East Africa. Her special bias is in Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights, particularly having engaged in programs targeted at addressing unsafe abortion, sexual violence, forced sterilization and teen pregnancies. She has also worked in private practice, served at the Federation of Women Lawyers-Kenya and consulted for UNDP in contextualizing HIV and the linkages to sexual and gender-based violence. Until recently, she was the Deputy Director and Head of Programs at KELIN, a Kenyan NGO working on health-related rights. Tabitha holds a LLB (Moi University), Post Graduate Diploma in Law (Kenya School of Law), and LLM (University of Pretoria). She is an Aspen New Voices Fellow 2019 and Law Society of Kenya Pro-Bono Jurist 2019. She currently sits as a Board Member at Amnesty Interantional Kenya Board and the Emergency Medical Kenya Foundation Board.
Continue following our series as we explore the link between religious norms and SGBV in Kenya.
Follow Swaiba Podcast on all socials: @swaibapodcast
“Does being a church leader stop me from being human?” asks Rev. Dr. Pauline Wanjiru. On this episode, Rev. Dr. Pauline shares her journey through seeking divorce as a church leader. We explore the narrative ‘God hates divorce’ and the need for more open conversations around separation and divorce in the church. How do we transition young adults into courtship and marriage? And what is the impact of divorce on the children?
Rev. Dr. Pauline Wanjiru is a scholar and theologian who has played a critical role in ensuring resilience within faith communities on HIV/AIDS matters. She promotes the uptake of sexual and reproductive health rights and once lost her job after speaking up for an SGBV survivor. She is an Anglican priest celebrating 30 years of ordination. She currently serves at the World Council of Churches as the Eastern Africa Regional Coordinator for the Churches’ Commission for Health and Healing Progamme.
This is Part 2 of a 2-Part episode. If you haven’t already, check out Part 1, which focuses on reimagining faith approaches to gender injustices.
Continue following our series as we explore the link between religious norms and SGBV in Kenya.
Follow Swaiba Podcast on all socials: @swaibapodcast
On this episode, Rev. Dr. Pauline Wanjiru challenges faith leaders to speak to the changing contexts of the world; to evangelize while trusting their members and congregations to make their own informed choices; and to involve young people in all matters that affect their lives. We ask: what is causing the rollback on gender gains? Rev. Dr. Wanjiru identifies the disconnect between the church and its congregation and encourages progressive approaches that faith leaders should adopt to tackle gender injustices.
Rev. Dr. Pauline Wanjiru is a scholar and theologian who has played a critical role in ensuring resilience within faith communities on HIV/AIDS matters. She promotes the uptake of sexual and reproductive health rights and once lost her job after speaking up for an SGBV survivor. She is an Anglican priest celebrating 30 years of ordination. She currently serves at the World Council of Churches as the Eastern Africa Regional Coordinator for the Churches’ Commission for Health and Healing Progamme.
This is Part 1 of a 2-Part episode. Stay tuned for Part 2, which focuses on divorce in the church.
Continue following our series as we explore the link between religious norms and SGBV in Kenya.
Follow Swaiba Podcast on all socials: @swaibapodcast
On this episode, Nyambura speaks with Sheikh Ibrahim Lithome about the place of women in religion. How, if at all, does it differ with the place of men? They venture into the teachings of Islam and how Muslim women ought to be seen and treated.
Sheikh Lithome is a Lawyer and Muslim religious scholar based at Jamia Mosque. He has worked extensively in countering and preventing violent extremism. He is passionate about the role of religion in society.
Continue following our series as we explore the link between religious norms and SGBV in Kenya.
Follow Swaiba Podcast on all socials: @swaibapodcast
What are African Christian Ethics and how are they formulated? On the third episode of the Faith, Feminism and Freedom series, we speak with Venerable Brian Odhiambo to discuss this and more. We examine how people interpret scripture and how those religious norms and interpretations impact women and SGBV.
Ven. Odhiambo is an Anglican priest in the Diocese of Machakos and a Part-time Lecturer taking Systematic Theology, Ethics and Philosophy courses. He is committed to having a practical approach to ministry and service, with real impact.
Continue following our series as we explore the link between religious norms and SGBV in Kenya.
Follow Swaiba Podcast on all socials: @swaibapodcast
"Religious leaders need to listen. ... When we listen and put a human face to people, then we will realize that actually, there is much more we don't know," Prof Esther Mombo.
On Episode 2 of the Swaiba Faith, Feminism and Freedom series, we continue to explore how religious norms reinforce gender-based violence against women and gender minorities. We turn to theology with the phenomenal Prof. Esther Mombo. She is an Associate Professor in the Theology Department at St. Paul's Limuru. She teaches Church History and Theology from Women's Perspectives and inter-faith courses. Prof. Mombo is passionate about finding spaces to visibilize rather than invisibilize gender and sexual minorities.
Prof. Mombo highlights the need to dialogue and the importance of religion not only listening to, but also adequately addressing the lived realities of the population.
Keep following our series as we explore the link between religious norms and SGBV in Kenya.
Follow Swaiba Podcast on all socials: @swaibapodcast
Patriarchal interpretations of Scriptures that subordinate women to men continue to proliferate throughout the places of worship leaving women more likely to experience spousal abuse, socio-economic and political oppression, and subjugation. The Faith, Feminism and Freedom series seeks to nurture alternative theological visions of a loving God who affirms the full personhood and flourishing of women.
The series will provide inter-faith grassroots safe spaces that facilitate transformative conversations with faith leaders and their communities. This is aimed at shifting normative religious and cultural patriarchal norms that limit self-expression, promote discrimination, tolerate violence and oppression against women.
We start the conversation with Anti-SGBV Activist Rachael Mwikali, discussing what religious norms have to do with SGBV in Kenya; and how faith leaders and their communities can come together.
To mark the 2022 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, The Feminist Sparc Podcast and Swaiba Podcast UNITE to host a two-part series on ending GBV.
Research shows that girls and young women with disabilities may face up to 10 times more violence than women and girls without disabilities. The intersection with disability puts them at further risk of violence that is unique and less detectable: https://blogs.worldbank.org/sustainablecities/five-facts-know-about-violence-against-women-and-girls-disabilities
In this episode, we sit with Senator, singer/songwriter Crystal Asige. Nominated to the 4th Senate in the 13th Parliament of the Republic of Kenya to represent persons with disabilities & Special Interest Groups, Sen. Crystal Asige is also an award winning musician, diversity equity and inclusion consultant, disability rights advocate, inclusive mobility and transport practitioner, accessibility auditor and a public speaker. Widely known as VIP (Visually Impaired Person) amongst her following, Sen. Crystal Asige is now good-humouredly known as the 4th Senate’s VIP (Visually Impaired Parliamentarian).
As the first and only senator to cross-cut all three special interest groups, i.e. persons with disabilities; women; and youth; with an additional representation of creatives, Sen. Crystal Asige seeks to push the envelope in creating awareness around the intersectionality of being a young, black-African woman and professional with an invisible disability living in the global South, and challenge the unconscious and entrenched prejudices of people with disabilities.
In this episode, she spotlights how persons with disabilities experience GBV; the importance of inclusivity and accessibility; and how to ensure that we leave no one behind.
Listen and share.
Part 1 of the series is available here: https://youtu.be/kJgfZgAxAQ8
To follow Senate and National Assembly Proceedings, visit: https://www.youtube.com/@ParliamentofKenyaChannel
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The production and dissemination of this podcast has been made possible with the support of Voice. The opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Voice.
To mark the 2022 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, The Feminist Sparc Podcast and Swaiba Podcast UNITE to host a two part-series on ending GBV.
In this episode, we sit in conversation with Njeri wa Migwi, the Executive Director of Usikimye, an organization working towards ending the prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence (GBV); and a survivor-led safehouse.
We discuss what it would truly take to move towards a world that has zero tolerance for Gender Based Violence. She shares the complexities of being an activist against GBV in Kenya’s justice system: The subtleties and institutionalization of harmful social norms in the Kenyan Society, and the personal price she has paid to rescue survivors.
Listen and share.
Follow us on socials:
Swaiba Podcast: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook.
Feminists in Kenya: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook.
Njeri/ Usikimye: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and @NjeriWaMigwi
Voice: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn.
Drylands Learning and Capacity Building Initiative: Twitter, Instagram.
The production and dissemination of this podcast has been made possible with the support of Voice. The opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Voice.
We’re closing this series on a powerful note, focusing on community journalism. Community journalists have a direct link to the community and the specific issues that affect them. What do they have to do with governance? What is the role of community journalism, specifically community radios, in ensuring responsible public participation?
Wangeci is a Host and Producer in Ghetto radio and a fellow of the Women in News. She’s an expert on Media Community Engagement and is vocal in the fight against drugs and crime, SGBV and corruption.
Thank you for joining us on this series. We have identified key issues. We hope you have gained useful tools to engage in governance processes, create safe online political spaces and hold the government accountable.
Join us as we continue to amplify the Audible African Woman.
Please share and Follow us on all socials @swaibapodcast
Swaiba Kenya Election Series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLp2aKogpGB0dnbtALZ2fQ4zbTIF67Andw
To conclude this two-part episode on leading the Climate Justice Agenda, Anita discloses what must be done at individual, county and nationals levels. What are her future plans? Will she get back on the ballot? How should young women be engaged in this conversation?
Anita Soina is 22 and was the Youngest MP Candidate in the just concluded 2022 Election. She is an environmental advocate from the Maasai community. Additionally, Soina is the author of The Green War and founder of the Spice Warriors, a group that advocates for climate change in Kenya.
Please share and follow us on all socials @swaibapodcast.
To catch Part 1, click here: https://youtu.be/ARR5vfhl7tg
Swaiba Kenya Election Series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLp2aKogpGB0dnbtALZ2fQ4zbTIF67Andw
Anita was a first-time voter in the just-concluded 2022 Kenya General Elections. What's more, she also vied for office! She is only 22 years only but is passionately leading on the fight against climate change.
Nyambura sits with Anita as she unpacks her difficult campaign experience, her passion for climate justice and what she expects at #COP27. Anita is a fierce young woman leader, and we're pleased to share her insights and very inspiring accomplishments story in a two-part episode.
Part 2 is available here: https://youtu.be/KnN-G7VmIso and across all podcast platforms.
Please share and follow us on all socials @swaibapodcast. Swaiba Kenya Election Series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLp2aKogpGB0dnbtALZ2fQ4zbTIF67Andw