Gender equality has evolved from theoretical frameworks, historical journeys, and feminist perspectives to the realization that boys and girls are equal and need support based on their distinct strengths and vulnerabilities. However, much remains to be done, especially in addressing gender barriers rooted in harmful cultural practices like female genital mutilation, early marriage, teenage pregnancies, and gender-based violence, particularly Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Harassment (SEAH).
Regarding education, significant progress has been made globally, including in Kenya, toward achieving gender parity. Girls now perform on par with boys in terms of enrolment, participation, and educational outcomes. RICCA’s mission is to promote access to quality, inclusive educational environments that improve both academic and social outcomes, envisioning societies free of child poverty, regardless of background. Today, we affirm that creating such spaces breaks gender barriers, enabling girls to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to realize their dreams in a more inclusive world. RICCA focuses on addressing generational gender-specific obstacles to ensure that both girls and boys have access to quality education that helps them achieve their aspirations.
This International Women’s Day, under the theme “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” there is a growing body of evidence that when girls access safe, inclusive learning environments, their impact is far-reaching. They empower communities with tools to address persistent challenges, and rural areas are where organizations like RICCA need to amplify their efforts to realize the aspirations of the 2025 IWD theme.
At RICCA, we work with teachers through workshops that focus on building inclusive, child-friendly classrooms that attract both girls and boys. We also aspire to establish an after-school center, a safe and inclusive space for children aged 6-17 in rural communities. Other initiatives include improving foundational learning environments and partnering with parents to create home-school connections, ensuring children feel connected and happy in their learning experiences.
This International Women’s Day 2025, we celebrate the ongoing teacher training pilot program in selected rural schools in Kirinyaga County and reflect on how RICCA’s approach to girls’ education addresses generational barriers to gender equality and equity. We place a strong focus on child protection in educational settings to ensure we serve children in rural and underserved communities, particularly those facing significant barriers to education, such as poverty and harmful cultural practices.
Perspectives from Josaphat, a teacher and beneficiary of RICCA training
At RICCA, we have developed a curriculum that emphasizes creating inclusive spaces in rural public primary schools through teacher training workshops. Child protection and safeguarding are central to the support we provide schools through specific modules. RICCA utilizes storytelling, role play, and inspiring videos to demonstrate that children, regardless of gender, background, religion, disability, ethnicity, or economic status, can thrive in any field and break barriers to stereotypes about roles traditionally believed to be for boys. We encourage peer-to-peer discussions on traditional gender roles and, through debates, develop ways of supporting one another.
In the classroom, teachers use strategies supported by RICCA to promote gender equality and effectively address gender issues. These strategies include providing equal opportunities for participation, roles, and leadership, answering questions across subjects, fostering teamwork, and promoting games where boys and girls play together.
RICCA employs various tools to monitor and measure the effectiveness of our efforts in classrooms.
