‘Walking the Talk’ is a powerful collection of stories of nine women who have sacrificed time and recourses, and sometimes even their health, to help their neighbours and fellow Kenyans in the aftermath of the disputed general elections of 2007.
The book does not look at women as victims, but as positive role models and active peace makers. This was emphasised by the speakers at the launch. Honorary Martha Karua encouraged everyone ‘to emulate what these women have done.’ Honorary Esther Murugi, Minister for Gender and Children Affairs endorsed the same message in her remarks, asking herself: ‘Am I doing enough?’ She encouraged the audience to ask themselves if they were doing enough for Kenyans in need.
Leikvoll said that Norway places great emphasis on the role of women in conflict resolution and peace building, including the follow up of Security Council Resolution 1325. He brought to the fore two key factors for improving the situation of women in Kenya in the aftermath of the disputed General Elections. Firstly, he underlined the importance of including the participation of women in all relevant reform processes, highlighting the upcoming Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission as a particularly crucial area in this respect. Moreover, he emphasised the importance of accountability, and said that those who committed sexual violence and other human rights abuses during the conflict must be brought to justice. Leikvoll said that: ‘These crimes leave scars on individuals, families and societies. It is extremely important to end impunity for such crimes.’
Wanjiku Mbugua from the Governance Forum and one of the initiators of the project, highlighted that the book is also valuable from a documentation or ‘history writing’ perspective. She argued that documentation of a conflict is crucial in order to understand its root causes and understand the events which actually took place and that woman’s experiences and perspectives are in this regard often overlooked. The Norwegian ambassador Elisabeth Jacobsen in her address, said that she would like the findings of this book to also feed into the upcoming national processes for peace and reconciliation.
The book is an initiative of the Governance Forum and is supported by the Norwegian Embassy. Over 90 people attended the launch, which took place at Serena Hotel, including Honorary Esther Murugi, Minister for Gender and Children Affairs, and Honorary Martha Karua. Several Members of Parliament and ambassadors were also present.