PHOTO: COURTESY GETTY IMAGES
In Kenya, the challenges women face aren’t just about gender; they’re shaped by many different factors: class, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, and geography. These layers of identity intersect uniquely, impacting women’s lives in profound and often unequal ways.
This is where intersectionality comes in, helping us understand how these overlapping forms of discrimination shape women’s experiences.
While mainstream feminism in Kenya has made progress, it often overlooks women who face multiple layers of disadvantage. Women with disabilities, LGBTQ+ women, refugees, and those from marginalized communities are at the crossroads of gender inequality and other social injustices. Unfortunately, their voices are often sidelined, and their struggles remain largely invisible.
Real Stories of Struggle and Triumph
Njeri Wa Migwi is an intersectional feminist, Co-Founder of Usikimye and Human Rights Activist. Njeri runs a project that rescues vulnerable girls and women from SGBV and shelters them. Usikimye’s main goal is to sensitize and educate the public on SGBV, work towards ending the prevalence of SGBV in the country, and push the state to set up shelters for SGBV survivors.
Senator Crystal Asige, diagnosed with glaucoma as a teenager, rose to prominence as a formidable politician. She is also an award-winning singer. Since taking office, she has helped pass bills to uplift people with disabilities, including a tax break for parents and caregivers of children with disabilities, and new support for Kenyan sign language. She empowers society through “art-ivism” and “edu-tainment,” raising awareness about disability, diversity, and inclusion in Kenya and beyond.
Audrey Mbugua is a Kenyan activist who heads Transgender Education and Advocacy (TEA), an organization that defends the rights of transgender/transsexual individuals in Kenya. She fought for her right to change her name and gender legally, ultimately winning a landmark court case. Mbugua also challenged the 2016 Health Bill by advocating for sex reassignment therapy in Kenya.
Rukia Ahmed, aka The Hummingbird, is a climate justice activist on a mission to transform the climate narrative in Kenya’s northern frontier. She founded the Green North Eastern Initiative, a community-based organization dedicated to building climate resilience and fostering sustainable practices in the region.
Elizabeth Wathuti, an environmental activist from Nyeri, links climate change with gender inequality, as rural women, particularly farmers, bear the brunt of shifting weather patterns. Her climate justice work through the Green Generation Initiative calls for policies that prioritize the needs of these women in the face of environmental change.
Grace Ngugi Mumbi, Judge of the High Court and Co-founder of the Albinism Foundation for East Africa. She advocates for education, social acceptance, and justice for individuals with albinism. The foundation aims to ensure the social acceptance of people living with albinism, fighting against the unfair reality where individuals with this condition face unemployment, lack of education, and even violence, including being maimed or killed for witchcraft rituals.
What Needs to Change?
These stories are just a few examples of women fighting to be seen and heard. But there’s so much more work to be done. To make feminism truly inclusive, we need to amplify the voices of women who are often left out and actively address their unique challenges.
- Laws: There is a need for stronger legal protections to safeguard the rights of women from marginalized communities, ensuring that they are not discriminated against because of their gender, disability, ethnicity, or social status.
- Support: Grassroots organizations need more funding and resources to continue their vital work. These organizations are often the first line of support for women facing multiple layers of discrimination.
- Education: Intersectionality should be integrated into educational curricula, teaching young people about the value of diversity and inclusion from an early age.
Inclusive feminism is about fighting for every woman regardless of her background, identity, or challenges. As women like Crystal, Audrey, Peninah, and many others continue to lead the way, we all need to support their efforts and push for change.
By embracing intersectionality and listening to the stories of women who have been overlooked, we can create a more just, equal, and inclusive society. After all, feminism should be a space where every woman, no matter who she is, feels seen and heard.
