Defence Cabinet Secretary Hon Soipan Tuya on Wednesday hosted the newly appointed UN Women Kenya Country Representative Ms Antonia N’Gabala-Sodonon at Defence Headquarters.
During the meeting, the Cabinet Secretary and her guest witnessed the signing of a project document for the 3rd call for proposals of the Elsie Initiative Fund (EIF).
The fund’s support through the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC) will be a major boost to sustained efforts by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to mainstream gender in the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
EIF is a UN Women administered trust fund that supports participation of uniformed women in UN peace operations.
The fund’s third cycle will assist KDF to develop tailored interventions that will enhance women deployment in international missions while strengthening Kenya’s contribution to global peace and security in line with MOD’s Gender Policy.
For years, UN Women has continued to support gender training and knowledge development programmes at IPSTC.
The Cabinet Secretary welcomed the relocation of UN Women’s global headquarters to Nairobi, an affirmation of Kenya’s growing profile as a hub of multilateral diplomacy in the global south.
Hon Tuya said MOD looks forward to leveraging the elevated UN Women presence in Kenya to open up new pathways for deeper engagement in peacebuilding, humanitarian support, and gender-focused security programming.
Ms N’Gabala-Sodonon was accompanied by Women Peace Security Team Lead at UN Women in Nairobi Ms Hellen Muchunu at the meeting also attended by IPSTC Director Maj Gen Charles Mwazighe and Head of Research at IPSTC, Col Catherine Lagat.
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