Kenya - First Lady Lucy Kibaki has urged MPs to pass bills that protect the rights and welfare of the girl child and women of Kenya. Acknowledging that the 9th and 10th Parliaments have been active in legislating laws to curb harmful practices against women, the First Lady said key bills that would help to decisively eliminate the vices including the Family Protection Bill 2009, Marriage Bill 2009 and Matrimonial Property Bill 2009, were still pending. "I urge our Parliamentarians, especially women legislators in the 10th Parliament, to use the floor of Parliament to protect the girl child and the women of Kenya," she said.

Lucy made the remarks yesterday in a speech read on her behalf by Gender, Children and Social Development minister Naomi Shaban at KICC during celebrations to mark this year's International Women's Day.

The First Lady called on all Kenyans to eliminate vices like rape, child molestation and trafficking, and violence against women which erode their dignity and self esteem."Sometimes these vices are fatal and we must all join hands to eliminate them from our society," Lucy said.

She said that for a long time retrogressive cultural vices such as Female Genital Mutilation, early marriages and child labour hindered the smooth development of the girl child and she was glad that as the country celebrated the International Women's Day the vices were on the decline.

Lucy commended the media for creating awareness on their harmful effects and non-governmental organisations for their active campaigns against retrogressive practices.

The First Lady said the Kenya Chapter of the Organisation of African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS, which she heads, has served as a unique platform for her to track matters of women and children in the country. "Today, I am glad to note that we have achieved a lot especially in areas that are most crucial to the empowerment of women; namely education, health, economic empowerment and elimination of retrogressive cultural practices," she said.

She said the Free Primary Education Programme and free tuition in secondary schools has contributed to an increase in enrollment of girls.

Pps

Nairobi Star/10/03/2011