At Turning Point Magazine, we believe that you cannot empower a woman if you keep her in the dark. That is why, for our 2025 International Women's Day Celebration at the KICC, we were proud to partner with The Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ) to tackle one of the most critical barriers to gender equality: The Right of Access to Information.
While financial inclusion and leadership are vital, this partnership highlighted a foundational truth: Gender justice cannot be achieved without information justice.
The Session: Why Information is Power
Led by Mr. Simon Nzioka (Chief Access to Information Officer) and Ms. Dorothy Jemator (Vice Chairperson of the CAJ), the session explored how Article 35 of the Constitution serves as a powerful tool for women.
When women have timely and accurate information, the playing field changes. They can:
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Unlock Economic Opportunities: Access data on government tenders, loans, and development funds often hidden in bureaucracy.
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Demand Accountability: Use transparency to hold leaders answerable for service delivery and challenge corruption.
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Make Independent Decisions: Empower themselves with knowledge from health to business to improve personal autonomy.
"Despite decades of progress, many women especially in rural areas remain 'in the dark' about decisions that affect their lives. This partnership is about turning the lights on." - Ms. Dorothy Jemator
Voices from the Floor
The impact of this collaboration extended far beyond the boardroom:
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Bunchie Hart (President, United Female Entrepreneurs of Liberia): Noted that access to information is a continental imperative, inspiring a vision for a Pan-African network of informed women.
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Doreen Nyongesa (Youth Leader, Mathare): Shared how the training inspired her to push for more open and inclusive governance within her own community.
Our Shared Call to Action
Together with the Office of the Ombudsman, we are calling for three urgent changes:
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Simplify the Message: Translate technical policies into plain language and local dialects so every woman can understand her rights.
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Measure the Gap: Implement systems to track information requests by gender and age to identify who is being left behind.
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Go to the Grassroots: Move beyond websites. We need funded outreach programs, barazas, and workshops to reach marginalized communities directly.
Looking Ahead
As our CEO Michael Ager stated, "Partnerships like this make a lasting impact." By combining Turning Point’s storytelling with the Ombudsman’s legal expertise, we are building a future where every woman has the information she needs to lead, thrive, and influence change.
Read more: Dive into our "25 Influential Women of 2025" and the full IWD Report in the latest issue of Turning Point Magazine.
