Empowering Maasai Women: Skills for Livelihoods

Dear Friends

Women having access, ownership, and managing natural resources and the environment promotes respect, dignity and creates a paradigm shift for their invaluable contributions.

We understand that educating women on environmental justice is critical to ensure all individuals, know their rights and avoid the negative consequences of climate change, and live prosperous, dignified lives on a peaceful and healthy planet. We held training and community sensitization on Environmental justice to ensure women continuously understand their rights and can have a candid conversation on the challenges they face and how to address them.

During World AIDS day we marked the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence by holding a community dialogue with local partners and local leaders to re-affirm our commitment to fighting all forms of Gender-based violence in our community. We also took this opportunity to sensitize local women on their rights to ensure they know their rights and know the steps to follow in case of a gender-based violence case. On this day we reaffirmed our commitment to empower women and protect their rights.

We have seen a positive impact in our community and a positive change in attitude with more women involving themselves in environmental and land rights conversations and actively participating in training and discussions. The heightened policy focus on gender equality has strengthened awareness of accessibility preferences and the need for differentiated measures to allow affective participation for all.

Our work has greatly influenced community entitlement as we have brought men on board as they are the key decision-makers and have realized the need for the women's voices to be heard and are slowly becoming their champions. Bringing community elders onboard has made our advocacy work easier as they feel recognized and has enabled great participation and discussion from both genders. In addition, men’s views have also been influenced as they are more accommodating and empowering women’s voices following awareness of women’s rights. We now have women representation in the alternative dispute resolution committees that never had women in the history of the Maasai community. More stakeholders are presenting opportunities for collaboration on holistic solutions to matters of environmental justice as well as gender equality

Many thanks for your support!!