My delegation believes that women's participation enhances social harmony and...

Extract: 
My delegation believes that women's participation enhances social harmony and inclusivity and reduces the chances of conflict. Women, therefore, should participate as full partners in governance institutions. The new Kenya Constitution has entrenched women's participation in all aspects of Kenya's governance structures and social life in general. Furthermore, the national policy on gender and development has set up an ambitious agenda aimed at integrating women into the mainstream of decision- making processes through regulatory and institutional reform.

These efforts have begun to bear fruit. Kenya's next Parliament will have 48 and 16 seats reserved for women in the National Assembly and the Senate, respectively, in addition to those who will be competitively elected in the various constituencies. Furthermore, in all cases where special interests are represented in the legislature, the seats will be divided equally between men and women. Currently, women serve as members of constitutional commissions, such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the Commission on the Implementation of the Constitution and the Public Service Commission, to name just a few. Additionally, the top two positions of any public body cannot be held by people of the same gender, thus giving an equal chance to women to either lead or eventually ascend to the top leadership positions of all public institutions.

PeaceWomen Consolidated Themes: 
Implementation
Participation
Reconstruction and Peacebuilding