Violence Against Women In Politics: Feminine Perspectives and Frontiers from Uganda, Kenya & Ethiopia.

This Policy Brief has been commissioned by Womankind Worldwide through its AWESOME (Advancing Women’s Engagement: Strengthening Opportunities to Mobilise for Equality) project which is being implemented in Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia. The aim of the AWESOME project is to contribute towards strengthening women’s movements in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, with a focus on the inclusion of women with disabilities in the mainstream feminist
movement. This effort will result in a stronger collective voice to challenge social norms and influence policies and key decisions affecting them. The project focuses on catalysing an in depth understanding of key factors and issues influencing women’s participation and leadership through documenting and strengthening of intersectional feminist movements. In many societies, gender norms evolve from various spectrums including the gender unequal, gender blind, gender aware, gender responsive and gender transformative spectrums.

Milestones such as women’s rights to vote and contest in elections have taken centuries to achieve. Despite societal norms tying women’s value to homemaking, many African women have attained political leadership, supported by communal indigenous systems that embraced diverse gender roles. Global efforts to boost women’s political participation urge equality, but barriers like entrenched gender norms and Violence Against Women in Politics (VAWP) persist, as seen in Ethiopia, Uganda, and Kenya. VAWP is often invisible and enduring, seeking to silence women in politics, with intersecting identities. This is evident through the intersection of VAWP amongst women with disabilities, young women (under 40), unmarried women, women from minority groups, or in opposition parties who face heightened risks, particularly during elections. Advocates for gender equality are especially vulnerable. During Kenya’s 2017 and 2022 elections, women candidates faced physical attacks, sexual violence, and online abuse. For example, Psychologist Liz Njue, running for a county assembly seat, was assaulted during her party primary. Her hair pulled, blouse torn, and forced to flee without voting, ultimately losing the race. Dozens of female candidates experienced similar violence. The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and UN Women’s 2021 Rapid Assessment shows that women candidates in Ethiopia’s elections face widespread gender-motivated verbal and physical violence, both online and offline. In Uganda, despite parliamentary action against sexual harassment, patriarchy continues to normalise VAWP within political structures. For instance, Doreen Nyanjura, a 2026 presidential candidate, has faced misogynistic attacks on various social media platforms including X. Critics have insisted she marry before running for office, arguing that Uganda cannot be led by an unmarried woman.