Archives: Opinions
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SDGs promise a lot for women; but what have we achieved?
In September 2015, Governments adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (commonly referred as the Sustainable Development Goals – SDGs) as a response to eradicate poverty. Each year, countries are encouraged to review their progress in implementation of the SDGs. This year, Kenya is among the 44 countries (of which seven are African states) that…
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El acuerdo
En diciembre del 2015 tuve la oportunidad de presenciar uno de los momentos más sublimes de mi vida: 195 países negociaron para finalmente llegar a un acuerdo climático durante la COP21. De pie, al final de la sala donde se llevaban a cabo las negociaciones, fui testigo del inicio del cierre de las reuniones técnicas…
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El acuerdo
En diciembre del 2015 tuve la oportunidad de presenciar uno de los momentos más sublimes de mi vida: 195 países negociaron para finalmente llegar a un acuerdo climático durante la COP21. De pie, al final de la sala donde se llevaban a cabo las negociaciones, fui testigo del inicio del cierre de las reuniones técnicas…
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When did we start hating?
As we commemorate this year’s International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT), I am reminded of the daily struggles and realities that sexual and gender minorities have to deal with. While East Africa nations enjoy their status as progressive nations in the 21st century and have included sustainable development goals in their national agendas,…
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The right to online anonymity
Human rights should be considered proportionally in any governmental policy related to the Internet in a way that will hopefully spur the private sector to follow. The Internet has become an essential platform for the exercise of free speech, especially in oppressive environments where freedom of expression, freedom of association, and/or freedom of assembly are…
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A reflection of morality with regards to Sexuality Education in Kenya
The recent survey on Kenya’s teens demanding condoms has led me to reflect on societal failures. Let us for one minute shelve the blame game and focus on the adolescent girl and boy, in school and out of school, who is clearly inadequately reached and served with quality sexual reproductive health services, commodities and information.…
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To achieve energy access in Kenya, electrification must go hand-in-hand with other energy interventions
Over the past two years, the government of Kenya has set out on an ambitious plan with regards to electrification of both households and public institutions through grid extension, resulting in astronomical jumps in connectivity of both schools and households. As of June 2016, the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum (MoEP) reported that 95 per…
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Talking Can Help With Depression Among Young People
The World Health Day commemorated annually on April 7 was this year themed: Depression: Let’s Talk. For Africa, the theme was highly appropriate highlighting a pervasive problem that is largely shrouded in silence, especially among adolescents, and needs to be urgently brought out into the open to save lives. According to a recent report by…
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Pro-active disclosure can help curb flawed procurement processes in Kenya
In the past couple of weeks, news about fraudulent tendering processes have been making headlines. The scourge of flawed procurement processes has unfortunately denied many Kenyans crucial services such as health, education, water and infrastructure amongst others. While discussions in public discourses lightly delve on proper mechanisms to fight corruption; billions of tax payers’ money…
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Harnessing Solar Energy in Zimbabwe Needs to Be Inclusive
Hivos Southern Africa welcomes a recent announcement made by Zimbabwe’s Mashonaland West Minister of State, Faber Chidarikire, that 300000 rural households are set to be solar powered under a $4 million facility aimed at eliminating use of non-renewable energy sources. The project, which is modelled around a prepaid system, will initially target 24000 households, and…
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No civil society, no energy access for all
Why civil society’s contribution is crucial in ensuring energy access for all To eradicate poverty and combat climate change we need universal access to clean and affordable energy. This is also included as one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG7). However, over the last years energy access has not speeded up but slowed down, especially…
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Why Ditching the Start-Up Pitch Is Good for Innovation
The start-up pitch, which involves making a rapid fire presentation of an idea followed by a question and answer session involving selected judges, is increasingly a waste of time and non-efficient in propagating the tech start up ecosystem in Zimbabwe. The start-up pitch is based on the traditional business planning methodology and ignores the fact…