African Woman and Child Feature Service

In recent days, Kenya has been talked about in the same breath as Rwanda, Liberia, Afghanistan and others, with analysts breaking down our history to a conflict between two 'tribes'. Terms such as 'Ethnic genocide' and 'ethnic cleansing' have been bandied about with no regard to the real issues behind the on-going unrest and blood shed in the country.

Kenya is in turmoil – the lives of over 1,000 citizens have been snuffed out, over a quarter of a million Kenyans have been forced to flee from their homes. Somewhere in the midst of media reports of ethnic cleansing, and government claims of a return to calm and normalcy, the real story is being lost. The truth is not weighing into debate as it should.

A group of women journalists have come together, facilitated by the Swedish and Norwegian envoys in Kenya, and launched an initiative called 'Healing the Nation'.   

This is an objective with both short and long-term objectives – all to one end. To foster a sense and reality of one-ness in Kenya, to heal the wounds opened up by years of inequality and to tackle head-on, the very issues that have brought this country to its knees in this unprecedented way.

In one phrase, Kenya's women journalists are coming together in commitment to work to promote truth, justice, and peace and healing to Kenya.

Short Term Objectives

1. To ensure the broadcast and publication of material that illuminates the truth in regard to the current situation in Kenya. The importance of engaging in honest and open discussions on issues around land, governance, democracy and nationhood are vital in order to prevent history from repeating itself. Women journalists are saying to the country, 'NEVER AGAIN!
2.  To ensure the broadcast and publication of material that shows the human face of the conflict. By focusing on the actual conditions of the displacement camps around the country, it will be possible to let our audiences and readers understand the true horror of the violence.
3. To Stop the Violence !

Long Term Objective

1. In order to play our role in fostering a sense of oneness as a nation, we will seek to ensure there is a consistent stream of material that reaches our audiences, with this specific aim in mind. Programmes and material that takes a long and honest look at this country's history and deliberately threads together elements in our past that separate us along ethnic lines, where we went wrong, the nature of original dream (What drove all those Kenyans to give up their lives in the fight for independence?)
2. Training of the journalists on peace journalism will be part of the campaign.