Uncovering the story of Women's Participation in the Kenya Mediation Process

The 2008 Kenya National Dialogue and Reconciliation is an exceptional example of good practice in terms of the representation of women in a formal mediation process. Not only were women represented in high numbers (25% of negotiating teams, one of three members of the mediation Panel), but most of those female participants were high-profile personalities. Numbers should be distinguished from substance however: while the Kenyan process successfully included a high number of women, it is unclear what impact this had on the representation of gender issues in the process.In the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue's latest publication, Beyond Numbers - Women's participation in the Kenya National Dialogue and Reconciliation, released today, Meredith Preston McGhie and E. Njoki Wamai reflect on the Kenya dialogue process and look beyond statistics to unpack the true role of women in the process. The authors reflect on how this experience can offer lessons for other peace processes in their efforts to more effectively include women's voices and reflect gender concerns.

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