The Democratic Change Party (DCP) Youth League has intensified calls for greater inclusion of women in politics amid concerns over persistent violence and systemic barriers facing female leaders.
In a statement on Thursday following a stakeholder engagement with the Nordic Institute Africa, DCP National Youth Leader Wanjiku Thiga said the party is working to dismantle structures that exclude women from leadership and decision-making spaces.
The forum, which brought together political actors and policy advocates, focused on what Thiga described as “exclusionary politics” and the violence often directed at women in leadership.
She noted that despite progress in representation, women continue to face intimidation, character attacks, and in some cases, physical and institutional violence aimed at pushing them out of public life.
“Today’s discussion reaffirmed a hard truth: women in leadership continue to face systemic barriers ranging from intimidation and character assassination to outright physical and institutional violence designed to push them out of decision-making spaces,” she said.
Thiga said the party is now shifting its focus beyond participation to structural reforms aimed at ensuring meaningful inclusion.
“Our focus is not just on participation, but on transforming party structures to be genuinely gender responsive,” she said, adding that this includes strengthening internal policies and ensuring women are represented across all party organs.
She said the party is also prioritising the creation of safe and inclusive political spaces to enable women to lead and influence governance without fear.
Thiga further said DCP is deliberately building young women’s leadership through county youth leader appointments, creating pathways for them to enter politics, grow influence, and compete on equal footing.
She linked her appointment to what she described as the party leadership’s broader commitment to empowering women, singling out DCP Party Leader Rigathi Gachagua.
“Our Party Leader, Rigathi Gachagua, has demonstrated a clear commitment to empowering young women. My own appointment as National Youth Leader reflects a deliberate effort to mentor, support, and position young women at the center of leadership and decision-making within DCP,” she said.
She further said gender equity remains a central pillar of the party’s agenda, anchored on constitutional principles.
“Equity is a core pillar of DCP. We are actively shaping gender-responsive party structures that not only include women but uphold the two-thirds gender principle, ensuring that our politics is inclusive, representative, and just,” she added.
The engagement also featured Faith Thiong’o, whose role as Head of Programs and Partnerships and Director of the Women’s League was highlighted as key in advancing the party’s gender agenda.
Thiga said addressing gender-based exclusion in politics is essential for a functioning democracy.
“The work ahead is demanding, but necessary. A democratic society cannot thrive while half its population is excluded or subjected to violence. Gender-responsive politics is not a favor, it is a foundation for justice, equity, and sustainable leadership,” she said.
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