International Women’s Day Celebrations

This year, CREAW together with Events Factory hosted the Second Shangilia Festival on Saturday 8^th of March at the Carnivore Restaurant's Simba Salon-Nairobi in global celebration under the theme "Ending the violence and shaping the way forward for women". IWD is indeed an occasion when women on all continents come together to celebrate their Day, as they look back to a tradition that represents decades of struggle for equality, justice, peace and development. Objectives of the event;

I. To mark IWD, through the medium of music by Kenyan artistes and theatre to speak out against the pandemic of sexual gender-based violence facing women the world over and more specifically in Kenya in light of the post election violence.

II. To highlight the plight of women during the post election violence as well as initiatives of individuals who are making a difference in addressing post election violence issues affecting women and children.

III. To celebrate the recent agreements reached between the opposition and government captured in the National Accord and Reconciliation Bill which are a critical steps towards restoring peace for Kenyans in general and women and children in particular.

Undoubtedly, the event envisioned inspiring women by celebration of achievements and creation of awareness on their attendant challenges in order to cajole the society to reflect on the place of women and their rights in our society. Indisputably, 2 a.m. was not too late as the crowd which remained very elated in dance and song, in anticipation of the subsequent festival.

Inaugural Shangilia Festival

CREAW in 2007 celebrated the International Women’s Day celebration on its eve- 7th March- in partnership with the American Embassy, Event Factory, Homeboys production and Homeworks at Club Afrique on Museum Hill, Nairobi from 6p.m.

The Shangilia Festival themed “Lets Sing and Dance until the Violence Ends” centered on musical performances addressing violence against women in an effort to project the arty dimensions of the ‘voice of Africa’.

The event offered an opportunity which aspired to reflect Kenyan top artists’ diversity through their music in a campaign to empower and celebrate the African woman and in support of Ending Impunity for Violence against the Women of Africa. The Media were also engaged in creating mass responsiveness towards ending violence against women in Kenya.

The concert ended at 1a.m. leaving the crowd was still very elated as they danced the violence away with vigour and in style.

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Participation in Women’s Rights Conferences

CREAW has increased visibility in the realm of women’s rights advocacy by participating in a number of national and local conferences. CREAW, among other conferences, has consistently participated in UN’s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York City. As a result CREAW has increased participation of women's access to media, information communication technologies (ICT) and their impact on and use of media as an instrument for advancement and empowerment of women.

Kofi Annan

Our Executive Director was nominated amongst a panel of human rights Activists from around the world to make comments on the retirement speech of UN Secretary General’s Mr. Kofi Annan on the International Human Rights day   held at the Lincoln Centre on the 8th December, 2006. Click below for the full text of the speech. Our Rights July - December 2005 Mainstreaming Gender in the Millennium Development Goals: African Perspectives

Launch of the Sexuality and Bride price Reports

On the 11th of August 2006, CREAW launched two publications, one of which addressed sexuality, while the other sought the relationship between bride price and gender based violence. Click to read publications:
Bride Price, is it the Modern day slavery
Exploring sexuality, a journey towards exploring Sexual rights.