{
  "id": 3748037,
  "title": "Kenya’s Constitution at 16: FIDA-Kenya Highlights Gaps in Women’s Rights",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/kenyas-constitution-at-16-fida-kenya-highlights-gaps-in-womens-rights",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-27T13:25:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Capital FM Kenya",
    "slug": "capital-fm-kenya",
    "url": "https://capitalfm.africa/kenyas-constitution-at-16-fida-kenya-highlights-gaps-in-womens-rights/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Nairobi, Kenya – The Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya (FIDA-Kenya) has called for renewed efforts to tackle ongoing obstacles faced by women, including femicide, gender-based violence (GBV), and the slow progress of implementing the two-thirds gender rule. Speaking at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), FIDA-Kenya Chairperson Christine Kungu acknowledged significant advancements in advancing women's constitutional rights but stressed that substantial gaps persist between the 2010 Constitution's promises and women's daily realities. \"A lot has been done, but there is a lot of unfinished business and gaps,\" Kungu emphasized, urging concrete actions to address persistent issues that hinder women's rights, safety, and participation in society. Highlighting femicide and gender-based violence as the most urgent challenges needing government and institutional interventions, FIDA-Kenya has long raised alarms over the increasing number of GBV and femicide cases, advocating for improved prevention, investigation, prosecution, and support systems for survivors. The organization has also pushed for the implementation of recommendations from the national report on GBV and femicide, arguing that ongoing violence against women reveals deficiencies not just in enforcement but also in access to justice and protective measures. As Kenya debates strategies to combat femicide and other forms of violence against women, rights groups are advocating for stronger accountability and coordinated responses. FIDA-Kenya has also reignited discussions on the two-thirds gender rule, a constitutional mandate aimed at ensuring equitable representation of women and men in public roles. Despite years of efforts, Kenya continues to struggle with achieving gender balance in public leadership. FIDA-Kenya has previously advocated for measures to ensure that constitutional commitments to gender equality result in tangible representation. Kungu's call comes as the country commemorates 16 years since the adoption of the 2010 Constitution, which expanded legal protections for women and enshrined equality and non-discrimination as constitutional principles. However, Kungu cautioned that constitutional guarantees must be complemented by effective implementation to ensure women can fully benefit from the legal protections afforded by the law. Therefore, FIDA-Kenya's concerns extend beyond legislation to the effectiveness of institutions tasked with safeguarding women, addressing violence, and promoting equal participation in public life. The organization has consistently advocated for intensified action on GBV, survivor protection, and women's political representation, asserting that constitutional promises must translate into concrete improvements in women's lives. As Kenya reflects on 16 years of constitutional governance, FIDA-Kenya's message is that progress should be assessed not only by the enacted laws and institutions but also by whether women and girls can live safely, access justice, and participate equally in the country's political and social spheres.",
  "summary": "Kungu highlighted femicide and gender-based violence among the most urgent challenges requiring government and institutional action.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}