YWLI held our first National Young Woman's Forum and Human Rights Festival on the 28th and 29th October 2010. Both were exciting and vibant activities with lots of energy and it brought hope to a new dawn. We always hear about the young turks, well I call them young-ish...because they are often not that young! Well as young women this was a forum for us, a space for young women from all over Kenya, I felt it brought the face and the issues of young women and put them on the table for discussion. We took a stand as young women by young women!! This is our country, its new and we need to be prepared to seize the opportunities as young women.

This takes me back quite a few years when I was a girl scout, the motto that we repeated over and over again..."Be Prepared." Well this is the angle I have chosen  to take when it comes to our country and leadership positions for youth and especially young women. As young women and equal citizens of this country we need to ALWAYS be prepared and " BE ARMOURED" if you will allow me to use that phrase, We must be prepared to demand to have representation and have our issues considered as equally important. In addition we must have young women who are willing and equipped to represent our agenda given the opportunity.

As YWLI we do look at leadership as wholistic and this means that it is as personal as it is political. We are leaders at different levels and we need to make informed decisions in regard to our lives. I feel that this constitution talks to me at different levels and I am going to engage it in that way. As a young woman in this day and age I am more aware of my reproductive health needs and what I am entitled to when I visit a clinic/hospital but can I say the same for my fellow agemates? I know my entitlements as a Kenya citizen and the role I play as a mother to my daughter but is this the same case with the other young women around me?

Well during the forum I was challenged by the energy in the room, by the power and the strength in a unified voice that was so rampant on the two days. I play a role in ensuring that my sisters all over from the universities to the slum areas deserve to see the new dawn and see the opportunities that the constitution has opened up for us as young women and the channels they need to use to ensure they are part of decision making processes.

The sad thing for me is that I am all excited and passionate about advancing the rights and improving the rights of young women and girls in our country but many of my friends are not that way. They understand the development issues that young women face and the need to have young women spaces but they do not go out of their way to be part of these processes. Who will encourage young women to speak up about violence, sexual harassment, HIV/AIDS, taking up leaderhip, access to education..I could go on and on.But the big questions is how many young women are ready to stand for thier sisters and support each other. I feel it is crucial that we have a lot more young women speaking on young women issues, a lot more young women in the youth movements in our country!

As a citizen, a mother, a daughter and a friend to many I am commited to helping create more spaces where young women across Kenya can see the NEWNESS in Kenya and the opportunity and challenge ahead of us. Each day I commit my time to learning more about the constitution and internalizing the gains it has for me not just because I work with a development agency but because this is my country and the country for my children and grandchildren (woi...I am actually going to be a granny one day!) but yes and I want to build a better place for those I love and cherish!

Kodos to my collegues at YWLI and to the Young women who attended the two Events!

Kenya Fresh, mi Nicole Niko set!

Ps: Look at some of the links for those who missed the events!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=451675596020&set=a.451673231020.249015.101527501020

http://www.facebook.com/YoungWomensLeadershipInstitute#!/photo.php?fbid=451238811020&set=a.450067241020.248013.101527501020