Global Feminism - 420

My introductionand the women of Kenya

by Laura K.

Hello, My Name Is...

Hello, My Name Is... Laura

I am a Mass Communications Major with an Emphasis in Advertising

This is my 3rd year at MSUM

I just got a new kitten on December 19th!Her name is Zoe Quinn and i absolutely love her!!!

Brief History

I am from Becker, Minnesota (just on the other side of St. Cloud)

I have 2 older brothers & one fun sister-in-law

I don’t mind hard work (I love working in the factory in the summers!)

I hope to settle down somewhere on the outskirts of the twin cities

Random Info

I love Adobe Photoshop CS4

I love Adobe Illustrator CS4

I love Adobe InDesign CS4

I am learning Adobe Flash CS4 (so far so good)

I love visual imagery, it’s gotta make me wanna look! :)

More Random Info

I live with my boyfriend and our kitten.

“I enjoy long walks on the beach...” (well, if the weather was nice and we had the beach here!)

I love cooking, I’m getting better at baking.

This class seems to be quite fun, thus far. (¢rE@†!√!†¥!) lol.

“My” CountryFor this class, I choose the country of KenyaKenya is a country of East AfricaKenya is along the Indian Ocean at the EquatorHas more than 40 ethnic groupsMain Languages: Kiswahili, English, Kikuyu, LuoKey exports: Tea, flowers, fruit, vegetables, coffee$1 United States Dollar = 72.8349 Kenyan ShillingTotal population as of 2009 is 39,002,772 people

Women of KenyaPhysical Integrity:The government of President Arap Moi has forbidden female genital mutilation in public hospitals and the Health Minister is trying to eradicate this practice altogether. Still, there is no formal law which condemns this act. Today, close to 40% of women have undergone female genital mutilation. This percentage is lower in towns, but much higher in some rural areas. The constitution protects anybody against violence. But sexual act with a very young girl (less than 14) or conjugal rape is not sentenced. On the other hand frequently rapes are not prosecuted by police and justice. The percentage of missing women is relatively low. -Wikigender.org

70% of the illiterate people of Kenya are women

Traditional culture permits a man to discipline his wife by physical means and is ambivalent about the seriousness of spousal rape. There is no law specifically prohibiting spousal rape. 

KenyanGender Equality (hmm, idk)

Although experiencing relative political stability, poverty and traditionalism remain two serious obstacles to women's equal rights in Kenya. Government policy, legislation and the media favor women's rights, but the traditional low status of women is hard to overcome in Kenyan society. Kenya is however one of the African countries that has gone farthest in addressing women's rights. -AFROL.com

I found information on “Wife Battering, Witch Burning, and Female Genital Mutilation”However, I have also read that the government got involved and it is now illegal to have a FGM procedure at the hospital in Kenya.

Kenya is a male dominated country, the men are seen as the 1st gender or the elite gender

The Violence Needs to End!

Africa Renewal is a United Nations based activist group that is helping the victims of not only Kenya, but also the rest of Africa.

Africa Renewal : Taking On Violence Against Women in Africa.

The Violence Needs to End!

Human Rights Activist Gladwell Otieno

Self Help Africa

Ndun'gu's Sexual Offenses Bill

KENYA: RAPE - THE INVISIBLE CRIME