The multi-sectoral team participating in the development of the Social Protection Policy in Turkana have passionately asked the County Government through the Department of Education, Sports and Social Protection to fast track its review and eventual adoption as a County document.
The Policy clearly outlines all aspects of social protection interventions and recognises and proposes carefully designed programs to promote delivery of the same.
The one-day meeting in Lodwar, that was supported by ‘Akili Dada’ brought together other multi-sectoral team such as National Council of Persons With Disability (NCPWD), Persons With Disability Board, National and County Government Administration, Sub-county Office of Children, Media, Girl Groups and representatives of Council of Elders, to have their views considered in the draft Policy.
Akili Dada is a leadership incubator that believes in the potential of African girls and young women to lead and create change. Their programmes are aimed at cultivating transformative leadership skills in girls and young women from under-resourced backgrounds by providing them with quality education and leadership development opportunities through training and mentorship.
With support from African Women Development Fund (AWDF) Akili Dada is implementing a ‘Stawisha Dada’ project that aims to enhance a group of young women leaders in Turkana County in defending women’s rights and ending violence against women and girls. The Project has already reached out to 10 young women directly through advocacy in Turkana.
“Of significance, Akili Dada will be partnering with the Social Protection Department to reduce chances of having overlapping activities in the region,” said Silvia Barasa, one of the team Leads in Turkana Central.
She revealed, the Project has undertaken to sensitise the Social Protection Officers and other stakeholders on eradicating Sexual Gender-based Violence and on aspects of sexual reproductive health that aims at eradicating teenage pregnancy in Calirfornia village, which will later spread to other parts of the county.
According to Jared Atsiaya, who is the Sub-county Children’s Officer in Turkana South and Aroo, Turkana community is compounded by a number of cultural challenges that need to be done away with gradually through the public awareness programs.
In reference to the research conducted, Atsiaya reports, 23% of Kenyan girls are married before 18 years, 4% of them are married at 15 years, while 4% of boys marry before18 years. With this reason, the Sub-county officer, calls for deliberate move from all the sector players, to extensively conduct community sensitisation against barbaric cultural challenges that disadvantage children from enjoying their rights.
On the review of the Policy, the Social Protection Deputy Director, Ignatius Idoka said, “County Government has developed this Policy with an aim of providing clear guidelines to effectively promote social protection and delivery of social protection services in the County.”
He continued to say the Policy aligns social protection to the Constitution of Kenya, the National Social Protection Policy, the goals of the Kenya Vision 2030 and UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Governor’s Nine-point Agenda are intended to facilitate socio-economic transformation of the County through sustainable use of resources to ensure a high quality of life for the people of the County.
Idoka said that Policy is to provide a comprehensive and viable framework that enhances the provision of quality, accessible and equitable holistic social protection services, improving the quality of life of the residents within the County.
