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Strengthening Democratic Governance: AMWIK and FNF Strategize on Gender Accountability and Media Integrity

The Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK) and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) Kenya convened a high-level consultative meeting, to reinforce their strategic partnership and align objectives ahead of the upcoming electoral cycle.

Led by FNF Director Ralf Erbel and AMWIK Executive Director Queenter Mbori, the dialogue focused on transitioning from research-based advocacy to active accountability, specifically regarding the constitutional two-thirds gender principle. This session underscored a mutual commitment to fostering an inclusive political environment where institutional compliance and data-driven tracking serve as the foundation for women’s participation in leadership.

The meeting served as a reflective and strategic session. The partners looked back at the success of their joint research on women’s political representation launched last year, but the focus quickly shifted to the future: Accountability. With 16 years having passed since the promulgation of the Constitution, the implementation of the two-thirds gender principle remains a challenge.

A core theme of the consultative meeting was the need to change how women leaders are portrayed in the media. AMWIK and FNF are exploring initiatives to shift the spotlight from a candidate’s gender to their policy priorities, vision, and leadership impact. Key focus areas for the upcoming year include:

  • Documentation and Mentorship: Profiling trailblazing women to inspire the next generation, while providing emerging women politicians with tools for strategic communication and personal branding.
  • Capacity Building for Journalists: Recognizing a high turnover in newsrooms, the partners aim to train the new cohort of journalists in gender-sensitive election reporting to ensure fair and balanced coverage.
  • The Status of Women in Media: AMWIK shared exciting plans for the launch of a comprehensive report on the current standing of women in the industry.

As the meeting concluded, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation committed to reviewing these proposals to deepen the collaboration.