engaging women in ensuring safety - world urban campaign · and work places. this should include...

Urban Thinkers Campus: 07 – Engaging Women in Ensuring Safety

07UTC

Engaging Women in Ensuring Safety 15 – 16 October 2015

Nairobi, Kenya

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Urban Thinkers Campus Partner Organisation

Disclaimer:

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication pages do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the secretariat

of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries

regarding its economic system or degree of development. Excerpts may be reproduced without authorization, on condition that the source is indicated. Views expressed in

this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, the United Nations and its member states.

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Table of Contents

Urban Thinkers Campus in figures ............................................................................................................................................ 4

Introduction to UTC ................................................................................................................................................................... 5

The City We Need Principle(s) addressed ................................................................................................................................. 5

Key outcomes of the UTC7......................................................................................................................................................... 8

Key recommendations................................................................................................................................................................ 9

Key actors................................................................................................................................................................................. 11

Outstanding issues................................................................................................................................................................... 11

Speakers................................................................................................................................................................................... 12

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Urban Thinkers Campus in figures

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23COUNTRIESREPRESENTED PARTICIPANTS ORGANIZATIONS

CONSTITUENTGROUPSREPRESENTED

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Introduction to UTC

The Urban Thinkers Campus took place on 15- 16 October 2015 at UN-Habitat

Headquarters in Nairobi, focusing on ‘The City We Need is Safe’ principle

under the theme: ‘Engaging Women in Ensuring Safety’. It was organized

by Polycom Development Project, an affiliate of Huairou Commission. As

a partner of UN-Habitat’s World Urban Campaign it was supported by the

Youth and Livelihood Unit, Actionaid International and Global Communities.

Jane Anyango led the Polycom Development Project team while Huairou

Commission was represented by Achola Pala and Violet Shivutse. Jane

Anyango in her welcome remarks stressed on the need for meaningful

engagement with women on issues touching on their lives and the need

to support community initiated project to promote sustainability. The

Campus was officially opened by Ms. Christine Auclair, Project Leader of

the World Urban Campaign; who provided an overview of the World Urban

Campaign and the process of Urban Thinkers Campuses. She mentioned

the importance of examining the nine principles of The City We Need as

well as the intended key outcomes that should consist in documented

recommendations on how to achieve The City We Need is Safe and why,

including a requisite policy and legislation framework as well as urban

solutions for safety.

The meeting adopted the following definition of Safe cities: safe public

spaces where women and girls can move freely, without fear on streets

and work places. This should include access to water and sanitation,

electricity, transportation and other public amenities at residences and in

public locations; they should be supported by gender sensitive policing

mechanisms for reporting violence and obtaining redress such as having

safe centers/shelters for survivors.”

In-depth discussions were held within meetings of diverse constituent

groups, feeding into debates during plenary and urban thinkers sessions.

Models for reporting gender based violence and mobilizing were presented

as effective solutions.

The City We Need principle(s) addressed• The city we need is socially inclusive

• The city we need is a safe city

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Matrix of linkages - TCWN 1.0 vs. new recommendationsPrinciple 1: The city we need is socially inclusive Principle 6: The city we need is a safe city

• Women call for a city in which they are involved in the planning, design, budgeting and implementation of security interventions.

Women demand a city in which they can access information that is timely, comprehensive, accessible and disseminated through appropriate channels.

• Women demand for a review of existing safety interventions to ensure women’s issues and concerns are integrated.

• Women demand a city in which their safety is guaranteed in both public and private places.

• Women demand for the establishment of a coordinated/comprehensive one stop shop for addressing gender based violence.

• Women demand a well-lit city to facilitate pursuance of economic activities and to promote enhanced security and the identification of perpetrators.

• Women demand to be part of development of indicators for safety under the Social Development Goals.

• Women demand inclusive allocation of safe public spaces for pursuance of economic activities.

• Grassroots women and communities demand involvement during dissemination of research findings on safer cities; communities should know the outcome of research.

• Women demand that media improves its reporting styles on issues of women and safety in the city.

• Women demand discrimination free participation in city safety decision making mechanisms such as District Peace Committees, Nyumba Kumi Initiative and Chief’s Barazas.

• Women demand abolition of retrogressive policies and legislation.

• Women are a key stakeholder in ensuring safer cities. Policies for safer cities should be informed by accurate, reliable data from women.

• Implement the two thirds gender rule in determining representation in both public and community based initiatives.

• Women will explore use of alternative/social media coverage on women and safer cities.

• Identify and use media houses/networks that are predisposed towards women’s issues and work with them to champion women’s cause.

• Women demand a clean city free of garbage and with proper waste management systems.

• Women demand accessible and secure water and sanitation facilities.

• Women demand education on safer cities and their rights.

• Women demand that the County Government provides temporary safe houses for survivors of gender based violence.

• Women demand appointment of more women chiefs in the urban informal settlements.

• Women will formalize campaigns for making the city safe for women, expand audiences and mobilize more women to participate.

• Women will institute Women Action Groups for building women’s solidarity and rapid response/information sharing mechanism to ensure women are kept abreast on community events.

• Women will tap into good practices e.g Wamama Tunauwezo to mobilize grassroots women to facilitate women’s participation in the Safer City discourse.

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Key outcomes of the UTCIt was noted that women are involved in ensuring safety in urban

settlements mainly through the Nyumba Kumi Initiative in which they are

part of the leadership committee. This includes the women’s leadership

in peace initiatives and cross learning visits through the Wamama Tuna

Uwezoplatform in Mathare, Kibera and Mukuru areas of Nairobi. They are

also actively involved in Mombasa where women provide early warning for

impending crime, insecurity and gender based violence. Nonetheless, the

meaningful engagement of women in ensuring safety in the city is weakened

by exclusion due to: disability, illiteracy, living with HIV, intimidation by men,

ethnicity, nepotism, poor documentation of issues, deficient information and

biased media coverage, among other key factors. The Kenya Community

Development Foundation may consider funding Polycom Development

Project to roll out Crowd Data Sourcing and Wamama Tuna Uwezo models

in Nairobi’s informal settlements.

Key recommendationsRecommendations address the fundamental ways for optimizing women

in ensuring safety in the city. They are the following: 1) achieving social

inclusion of women in policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and

evaluation; 2) collecting data for decision making and policy formulation

with women as key stakeholders in data collection and informing on

interventions; 3) promoting gender responsiveness in the provision of social

services (water, electricity, health, waste disposal, business premises,

police posts, land policies) with women as key informers of the design and

implementation processes; 4) providing platforms for grassroots women to

define and sustain campaigns as well as raise their safety issues, noting

that grassroots women and initiatives require capacity building on the

effective articulation of issues; 5) promoting the voice of civil society/

grassroots groups to challenge government bodies to deliver gender

responsive services in the informal urban settlements. The mobilization of

various groups through organized and sustained advocacy is key in ensuring

women’s engagement and access to safer cities; 6) supporting community

initiated projects to promote sustainability and ownership. 7) Gender

responsive budgeting.

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Women are calling for a city in which safety is guaranteed in both

public and private places through a well-lit city in order to facilitate the

pursuance of economic activities, promoting enhanced security and the

identification of perpetrators. This can only be realized by mapping of

hotspots for harassments. Women should be involved in the planning,

design and implementation of security interventions and establishment of a

coordinated and comprehensive one stop shop for addressing gender based

violence. There should be review of existing safety interventions to ensure

women’s issues and concerns are integrated.

Women demand a city where they can access information that is timely,

comprehensive, accessible and disseminated through appropriate channels.

This can be achieved through the establishment of community resource

centers. Women should be part of the development of indicators for safety

under the Sustainable Development Goals, in order to include the allocation

of safe public spaces for the pursuance of economic activities.

Women are calling for a clean city, free of garbage with proper waste

management systems in place, as well as accessible and secure water and

sanitation facilities. They call for a true participation free of discrimination

in decision-making mechanisms such as District Peace Committees,

Nyumba Kumi Initiative and Chief’s Barazas. Retrogressive policies and

legislations should be abolished. Education on safer cities and their rights

should be institutionalized. In Kenya, the County Government should provide

temporary safe homes for survivors of gender based violence and appoint

more women chiefs in urban informal settlements.

Women are key stakeholders in ensuring safer cities. Policies for safer cities

should be informed by accurate, reliable data from and on women. Devolved

system of government should be encouraged as well as the representation

of women in both public and community based initiatives. Campaigns

for making the city safe for women, expanding audiences and mobilizing

more women to participate should be formalized (referencing Wamama

Tunauwezo). Women Action Groups should be established for building

women’s solidarity and rapid response as well as information sharing

mechanism to ensure women are kept abreast on community events. To

achieve that level of participation, one should tap into good practices to

mobilize grassroots women in the Safer City discourse. The media houses/

networks should be identified and used for addressing women’s issues

and championing women’s cause. Grassroots women and communities

request to be involved in the dissemination of research findings on safer

cities; communities should be aware of the outcome of research work.

Media should be encouraged to improve their reporting styles on women

and safety issues in cities.Women groups should also explore the use of

alternative (online) communication channels, like social media coverage on

women and safer cities.

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Key actorsThe proposed actions can be recapitulated under these major themes: policy

and legislation formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation;

infrastructure development; information dissemination; evidence based

data for decision-making; and, sustained mobilization and participation.

The key actors involved

a) The Kenya National and County GovernmentsThese are the duty bearers who are obligated to address the safety needs

of women, children and youth by developing and/or reviewing progressive

policies, legislations and infrastructure development in a gender responsive

manner. The Constitution of Kenya accords the County Government the

responsibility to receive and approve plans and policies for the development

and management of its infrastructures, institutions, and other aspects

which have a direct impact on the development and implementation of

gender responsive legislations and policies as recommended above.

b) National Parliament and Members of County Assembly These are legislators and are the only ones who can repeal retrogressive

and discriminatory policies and legislation as well as enact progressive

ones.

c) Women Women are the key stakeholders and need to put forth continuous, systematic

and proactive articulation of issues. Women have the responsibility to take

an active, meaningful role in initiatives for ensuring safer cities.

d) Community mediaThey should raise the profile of women who are positively impacting on

the urban safety, and employ women, youth and child friendly means of

obtaining and reporting safety issues.

e) ResearchersThey need to build the capacity of women to inform research agendas,

collect and collate data as well as disseminate findings. They need to liaise

with Governments for research-informed policy and the formulation of

legislation, their implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

Outstanding issuesThere is a need to consider pooled funding for women rights defenders from

donors and local governments. In order for women to sustain demand for

safer cities, advocacy resources are required to facilitate these efforts in

an organized manner.

Urban solutionsCrowd Data Sourcing is a real time digital platform for mapping and access

to various aspects of life, especially sexual harassment or abuse in public

spaces. The platform was introduced by Red Dot organization in September

2015. Data collection on the platform should focus on three aspects:

• What happened?

• When did this happen?

• Where did it happen? (The specific land mark)

The categories of abuse one can report under include: ogling/facial

expressions/staring; taking pictures; catcalls/whistles; commenting;

indecent exposure; touching/groping; sexual invites; stalking; rape/sexual

assault; others.

The use of this tool has been piloted in Kibera and has entailed creating

awareness of forms of harassment and increased their reporting. Delegates

were taken through a demonstration of the tool on maps.safecity.in

Community tools for safe cities are urban solutions for #TheCityWeNeed - Achola Pala @HuairouConnect #UrbanThinkershttps://twitter.com/urbancampaign/status/654988869599907840

World Urban Campaign@urbancampaign Oct 16

#UrbanThinkers Nairobi Closing & Thanks by @HuairouConnect @polycomdev @urbancampaign - Women Have The Power!!!https://twitter.com/urbancampaign/status/655005885744443396

World Urban Campaign@urbancampaign Oct 16

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The advantages of using the tool are three-fold: communities are informed

on which public spaces are safe or unsafe for women and girls; it provides

real time information, readily accessible to all; it can be used widely and

is reliable.

The delegates recommended the model since it is practical one that

highlights the various forms of gender based violence.

Wamama TunauwezoWamama Tunauwezo is a mobilization methodology that enables people

to form a strong voice to influence change through structures that promote

easy flow of information. It is premised on individuals reaching the people

closest to them. Polycom mobilized 200 women whom in turn mobilized

10 others to ensure there is no violence in Kibera. The 200 women work

together. The neighborhood of Kibera is subdivided into of 4 regions under

1 leader each. Each leader reaches 10 women who in turn reach 4 others.

Suggestions on how to bridge current gaps of Crowd Data Sourcing

• Expand the range of ambassadors and users of the tool to include women and other actors.

• Position feedback boxes in areas such as churches, huduma (service) centers and barazas (public forums), as an alternative or in addition to

internet based reporting.

• Create awareness on the tool in order to promote widespread use. Community media can be used to make the tool Kenyan-owned. The

initiative should also work with the media to create information, education and communication (IEC) materials for it.

• Link information from the tool to chiefs, the police and policy makers.

• Incorporate reports/suggestions of users and survivors on enhancing safety initiatives.

• Initiate complementary reporting interventions on the tool such as toll free helpline, bulk short messaging system (SMS).

• Include service delivery information for survivors so they can know where to access services.

• Collaborate with ongoing efforts such as Map Kibera to avoid duplication of mapping efforts and ensure complementarity.

• Campaign and lobbying for use of Crowd Data Sourcing during international days.

• Domesticate the tool for use in Kenya’s urban informal settlements.

Strengths Weaknesses

• Bridges gaps in access of technology as it has an offline capability,

making it usable in places such as schools

• The information captured is broad and varied including aspects such as

what, where and when of incidences

• The reports can be made by anyone apart from survivors

• It has the option to report anonymously thereby ensuring confidentiality

• It provides a platform for lobbying based on data/evidence provided

• It facilitates identification of hot spots and prevalence of incidences

• It allows for disaggregated information

• It can be used to identify GBV trends

• The tool is participatory

• It is internet based which is challenging for those who do

not have smart gadgets and internet connectivity

• The use of Crowd Data Sourcing is dependent on

availability of electricity

• The response to reports cannot be real time given that

information is picked weekly

• The information verification mechanism is unclear

• The service turnaround time following reports is unclear

• The tool is unknown beyond its current users

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Strategies that have made the methodology work include: 1) building

capacity of women with leadership, 2) building on the connectors for

women, 3) using dividers positively (multicultural celebrations of ethnicity,

they sing a lot and have an anthem), 4) tracing of women leaders.

Polycom plans to expand the methodology through 50 women leaders in 5

other informal settlements in Nairobi. Currently, the methodology is in use in

Kibera and Korogocho and has been instrumental in passing on information.

The delegates thought the methodology is community led and driven have

emanated from the grassroots.

Its strengths, weaknesses and suggestions for improvement are captured

below:

Suggestions on how to use Wamama Tunauwezo

• The methodology can be introduced in schools and facilitate discussions among girls and with stakeholders.

• Women can use it to engage with county and national governments and for monitoring progress of implementation at grassroots level.

• It can facilitate community awareness and understanding of advocacy issues.

Strengths Weaknesses/Challenges

• It reaches many people as fast as possible.

• Cheap to use as women mobilize a few other women.

• It is not a self-centered initiative; all have a place and are

involved in mobilization.

• Before and during use of the methodology, one has to

understand the community. People are diverse and have different

personalities and the leaders and members of the methodology

need to understand the people in their cell and hear their agenda

of communication.

• Using Wamama Tunauwezo it is easy to engage community

members at large, and one can mobilize within a large

geographical scope.

• Information flow is made easy and systematic.

• Its use creates and promotes women’s leadership capacity,

confidence and self-esteem

• The methodology creates bonds as it incorporates money

saving aspects and also uses ethnicity positively.

• It is also uses as a mentorship and socialization platform

given that members meet weekly.

• It is a community initiated method and therefore can survive

with very little resources.

• Dealing with a large number of mobilizers may be challenging

given that members meet on weekends.

• Clusters may have different issues/concerns for communication.

How do you deal with multiple issues?

• It may be prone to miscommunication due to misinterpretation of

message which is passed by mouth.

• May be open to stakeholder interference/capture of agenda.

• There could be inconsistency in mobilization

• Risk of message dilution is high as it is unwritten.

• Membership and mobilization is based on voluntarism and

therefore the methodology may be unsustainable.

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SpeakersJane Anyango, Polycom Development Project, Expert - Habitat III Policy Unit 5, UN Women Civil Society Advisory Group Member

Christine Auclair, UN-Habitat

Agnes Midi, ActionAid International

Housing and Physical Planning

Jessica Njui, African Youth Trust

Jane Godia, African Women and Child Feature

Pauline Kariuki, Vice President East African Poultry Farmers Association and National Chairperson, Kenya

Selessor Odipoh, Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF)

Hon. Rachel Kamweru, MCA Nairobi City County

Carole Nyambura, Gender Consultant

Hon. Owino Kotieno, MCA Nairobi City County

Rose Nyawira, Nairobi Environmental Sanitation & Hygiene

Violet Shivutse, Huairou Commission, UN Women Global Civil Society Advisory Group Member

Jane Godiah, African Women and Child Feature (AWCF)

Carole Nyambura, Gender Consultant

Achola Pala, Huairou Commission

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1. Kenya

2. USA

3. Uganda

4. Rwanda

List of all countries present

List of organizations represented1. Polycom Development Project

2. Huairou Commission

3. UN-Habitat: Youth 21

4. ActionAid International

5. Nairobi County Legislative

6. Nairobi County Executive

7. African Youth Trust

8. African Women and Child Feature

9. East African Poultry Farmers Association

10. Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF)

11. Nairobi Environmental Sanitation & Hygiene

12. Groots Mathare

13. Global Communities

14. Kibera women for peace and fairness (KWPF)

15. Development Through Media

16. Multimedia University

17. Pamoja Fm

18. Touch Their Heart (T.T.H)

19. Women Action Group Mukuru (WAG)

20. Sauti Mombasa

21. Usalama Forum

22. Maendeleo ya wanawake - Mathare

23. Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims - SUPKEM.

United Nations Human Settlements Programme P.O. Box 30030 Nairobi 00100, Kenya

World Urban Campaign Secretariatwww.worldurbancampaign.orgEmail: [email protected] Tel.: +254 20 762 1234 www.unhabitat.org

http://huairou.org/habitat-iii

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