GENDER EQUALITY THROUGH POLICY PRIORITIZATION AND SOCIAL NORMS IMPROVEMENT
The First Lady has leveraged her leadership and voice in ending obstetric fistula resulting in the development of the ‘National Strategic Framework on Female Genital Fistula: Towards a Free Fistula Nation,’ a first of its kind in Africa by the Ministry of Health. The Framework guides the coordination of fistula management, integration of fistula screening into routine services, monitoring and evaluation as well as research in the country.
The Medical Safaris have offered free screening to 865 women and girls as well as provided 193 free surgical repairs and treatment for obstetric fistula. The Initiative has also supported these women to integrate back into their communities and supported the training of 136 Community Healthcare Workers who are the frontline careers for women and girls.
ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT THROUGH CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT
The First Lady, at various International Forums such as the Nairobi ICPD Conference 2019 and the Global Gender Summit Kigali Rwanda 2019, has stressed the interlinkages between education, empowerment and health; and the critical role women health workers play in strengthening health systems. Beyond Zero partnered with the Ministry of Health, World Bank, and the Kenya Medical Training College to establish the Enrolled Community Health Nurses Program. scholarship fund for nursing students. Through the program 1,324 nurses, majority of them females, are trained to strengthen their midwifery skills. To date, 737 have graduated and are working in health centers
across the country. During the COVID 19 pandemic season, Beyond Zero supported the training and skills enhancement of 5,153 Community
Health Volunteers to create awareness for health preventive measures to curb and contain the disease. These volunteers were drawn from Nairobi County (sub-national government) with males representing 21% of the total number trained while female was 79%. This is in recognition of the pivotal role community health volunteers play in fighting the pandemic.
