The security implications for failing to implement gender equality standards : a case study of the Kenyan national government

Abstract

Gender stands central to equal development and human security today and it is important to understand the multitude of connections between security and internal conflict, including the effect of gender inequality on human security and the stability of a state. The persistence of global gender inequality and the disadvantages that women and girls face are creating conditions of female insecurity. Feminist theory in general has contributed to our understanding of the ontology of social and gender relations, and its effect on politics, economy, society, hierarchy and culture. Feminist theory is normative with emancipatory characteristics and it was radical feminism that pursues gender mainstreaming as an international strategy to advance social transformation, the empowerment of women and to promote gender equality. Since gender inequality qualifies as a threat to human security, the study of gender from a feminist perspective has in recent years been included in security studies. In 2010, Kenya enacted a new constitution with a comprehensive Bill of Rights. The new constitution includes the “two-thirds gender principle” (Article 81) and provision for affirmative action (Article 27) to guarantee “equality and freedom from discrimination” to all its citizens. Despite the legal and institutional frameworks that create a sound foundation for the realization of gender mainstreaming to improve women’s civil and political rights, the distribution of power in the national Government of Kenya remains unequal with only 23.3 per cent female representation in parliament. An ex-post evaluation on the 2010 Constitutional gender principle recognizes that structural resistance is used as a tool to sustain patriarchy at all levels of society, with dire consequences for human (women) and internal security. The sustained state of gender inequality and increase in female insecurity encourages female radicalization in support of extremism – an increased struggle that the Government of Kenya has increasingly been facing since 2011. This study highlights that with a multilevel or three-tiered gender approach at the macro (political), meso- (economical) and micro-levels (social) the stronghold of patriarchy as a socio-cultural norm can be eased. A patriarchal norm can then be substituted by a gender-equal norm of respect that is conducive to human security or security equality to counter internal conflict.