12. 3. 2014
Banning Mini-skirt in Kenya
Beginning in March 2014, there is a heated discussion on wearing mini-skirts in public has been questioned. Many Kenyans are claiming that aside from being a violation of a women’s right and curtailing their freedom to wear what they want, for many people, it was a direct discrimination. However, what drew people especially for women to even the greater disgust and fury was the public humiliation. The women who experienced the hands of some people after they have been stripped and assaulted for the clothing article of wearing. After the incident, women and human rights activists protested on the streets of Nairobi condeming the issue (Kenya Citizen TV).
Kenya has long battled gender discrimination that prevails in the country. In fact, there are several countries and international human rights advocates and organizations that have intervened in this issue too many times, just in order to repeal the discriminatory practices (Celaya). So far, the problem in Kenya about the gender-related issues has still been existing ever since they can remember. It is also encompassing which means that is not simply confined or isolated from one context or issue. However, for the purpose of the more extensive research and the understanding of the topic, the proponent that will simply concentrate on the banning of mini-skirt in public place and the influence among women and the society in general. This paper is written to trace the history and the development on the issue as presented by the different media outlets using different platforms and medium to report.
The issue on the banning of women from wearing mini-skirts began in 2004 when a leaflet was distributed by Kenya’s port city Mombasa (BBC News). The leaflet contains details that the government will prohibit women from wearing the mini-skirts and anyone who does not obey this law that will be reprimanded. That will include being stripped—in public. This immediately created many commotion because it was perceived as a direct violation of the rights of women and another avenue to harass women. Nevertheless, the government has vowed to protect women against the male chauvinists and promised to enforce the law against anyone who harasses women, it still does not seem to create a deterrent. In fact, there were several incidents that document women who are being harassed to the point of being stripped in public because of wearing the mini-skirt (Panafrican News Agency; All Africa).
It was believed that this advocacy to ban the wearing of miniskirts in Kenya originated from Uganda. According to the news, it was Simon Lokodo who is a Uganda’s minister for the ethics and integrity who proposed the bill calling for the ban prohibition of wearing skirts above the knee. In fact, the law even included banning the television programs and the internet channels that would show women who wearing provocative clothing. Lokodo argues that the reason for such a law was to prevent the incidence of rape that will further malign the society. The minister furthers that who wear such clothes encourage men to harass and disrespects women, which is taken into consideration for women who were not be harassed by men (All Africa).
It was not difficult to pick up the kind of news that has been a hot topic in Kenya since the first incident came out about the government’s plan to prevent women from wearing mini-skirts. It was not so much the ban that spared women indignation but more on how it will be implemented that steers much commotion. As reported by BBC News in 2004, the first implication of the law started in a leaflet was distributed. It suggested that wearing mini-skirt will be reprimanded and the punishment that will be humiliating and also being stripped off their clothes in public (BBC News) .
The Kenyan media outlet known as the Kenya Citizen TV covered the news but tried to present a balanced story suggesting that it was not only the women who are being restricted in their choice of clothes but also men (Kenya Citizen TV) . The said news tried to interview both men and women along with the proponent of the bill against women wearing mini-skirt. However, from a short video presentation it seemed to show favor on the law than the people who are directly affected by it. While it also expressed the opinion of the public that it was quite peculiar that the people who were interviewed do not seem to be slightly bothered by the repression contrary to the mass protest in the Streets of Nairobi condemning the law.
The World News also covers the story. This time the presentation of the issue was carefully presenting both sides of the story for clarity and depth of understanding (World News). The World News presented the arguments of both sides offering the reason the proposal to ban mini-skirt is being approved. From the point of view of the proponents of the law, this was in fact done to safeguard and protect the women from abuse. The report suggested that Lokodo’s intention was that in the good faith that he proposed the law. Women should not attract men to think of them in a lustful desire. Women also should not provoke men to lust them by revealing too much of their skins. However, World News also point out the argument made the women who were against the bill.
As a result of that there were too much news coming out about how poorly this law has been implemented. In fact, there had been incidents about that woman were being stripped naked in public. This not only sparked the public indignation but also massive public hysteria. Despite the government’s announcement of protecting women from abuse, the government hardly had anyone helped. In fact, instead of protecting women that the incidents of aggression against women continued to escalate, and the women were caught being victimized by men who pretended to be implementing the law.
This incident has already sparked for the global awareness and attention. In fact in the UK, a local media outlets has already expressed the disgust the Kenyan government lack of action to stop this abuse and the exploitation of women. The UK Wired News, presented the story of how Kenya failed to address the issue and allowed the massive gender discrimination to exist by reprimanding the women and tolerating the aggressive behavior of the men (UK Wired News).
Based on the review of the different media presentation on how the issue in Kenya was addressed, it revealed that the dealing with the news was free and less restrictive if it was done by a media outlets that is not locally-based. The reporters are not afraid of being censored if it is based on the overseas so that they can criticize the government for the wrong practices and allow for an equal treatment of the issue. Women have their rights to decide what they want to wear, and they should be treated equally. Kenya has always had an issue with gender discrimination, and this is obviously in the majority of their laws. The society is partly to be blamed for this issue in Kenya because the people have different view on issues of miniskirts.
Works Cited
All Africa. News: All Africa. 6 November 2012. http://allafrica.com/stories/200002170088.html. 3 December 2014.
BBC News. News: BBC. 1 March 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3522391.stm. 3 December 2014.
Celaya, Xabier. Women Living Under Muslim Law website. 17 February 2014. Web. 2 December 2014.
Kenya Citizen TV. Youtube. 7 March 2014. Web. 3 December 2014.
Panafrican News Agency. News: All Africa. 17 February 2000. http://allafrica.com/stories/200002170088.html. 3 December 2014.
UK Wired News. World: Kenya's stripping videos cause outrage. 26 November 2014. Web. 3 December 2014.
World News. World News: Kilifi to Ban Miniskirts. 31 March 2014. Web. 3 December 2014.
