Women should be their sister’s keepers and endeavor to protect each other from gender based violence, Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni has said.
Muthoni noted that there’s been a surge of cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV), especially in the workplace. She added that teachers have not been spared.
Speaking at the sixth Anniversary celebrations of the Kenya Women Teachers Association, Muthoni noted that the workplace for teachers must guarantee safety and hope for all.
She praised KEWOTA for introducing breastfeeding rooms and centres in schools, stressing the need to upscale it and make sure all schools have such facilities.
“As a government, we are willing and ready to partner with you and work with school heads who should avail rooms for the establishment of spaces for safe, clean and private breastfeeding rooms,” she promised.
The KEWOTA CEO Benta Opande disclosed that her Association has so far established breastfeeding centres in Kirinyaga, Migori and other counties recognizing that more work lies ahead.
She stressed the critical role KEWOTA plays including psycho-social support to teachers, partnering with manufacturers to offer affordable reservoir water tanks to members through the check0off bank system, financial literacy among others services.
She allayed fears that KEWOTA was a competitor to unions such as the Kenya National Union of Teachers and instead explained that they were complimenting welfare concerns of teachers and they remain an Association.
Addressing the enthusiastic delegates from all the branches in Kenya, KEWOTA National Chairperson Modesta Akaki noted that the journey has been tedious but the successes have been sweet with the Association today priding of over 10,000 members and counting.
She informed that association also welcomes male teachers as members and that it was an all inclusive outfit.
Emphasizing the need to matriarch on and in solidarity address the many welfare concerns of teachers in the country, the National Treasurer Jacinta Ndegwa encouraged members to walk with their heads high and promising that better days are ahead.
“As an association we are confident that the journey we started six years ago is a worthy endeavour and that we can face the future with confidence as we seek to provide the best of support services that our members require,” she said.
The PS later on led the delegates in cutting a commemorative cake a midst song and dance.
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