We are proud to announce that Kariuki Muigua & Company Advocates, has incorporated the Institute of African Women in Law’s Gender Equality in Law Model Policy into our existing gender policy and practices. The Gender Equality in Law Model Policy seeks to foster gender equality in the legal profession. The Model Policy aims to create a more robust, dynamic and inclusive legal profession where both men and women are equally represented in all positions.
At Kariuki Muigua & Company Advocates, we have a long and rich history of gender equality and empowerment. Our firm’s vision, mission and objectives are well anchored in international, regional and national human rights law with gender equality being one of our key themes. Adoption of the Model Policy therefore demonstrates our commitment to gender equality and our desire to continue aligning the firm’s objectives with the principles of gender equality. In particular, the Model Policy will strengthen our policy and practices on equitable hiring and promotion, equal pay for equal work, prohibition and protection against sexual harassment, and elimination of gender bias and stereotypes at work.
Achieving gender equality is a vital agenda in all spheres of life in the quest towards Sustainable Development. This is well captured under the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which acknowledges that realizing gender equality and empowerment of women will make a crucial contribution towards progress across all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Gender equality is also a key theme under the international and regional human rights law including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol), and African Union’s Agenda 2063. Adoption of the Model Policy therefore shows our commitment to upholding human rights and fostering gender equality as a tool and means to achieve Sustainable Development.
Adoption of the Gender Equality in Law Model Policy at Kariuki Muigua & Company Advocates is therefore a huge milestone towards ensuring equal rights for all gender, enhancing access to equal opportunities for all, ensuring fair treatment for every person, eliminating gender discrimination and fostering a more inclusive and equal society. We believe that the Model Policy is well designed to foster gender equality and the empowerment of women not only in the legal professions, but also in all spheres of life. By adopting the Model Policy, law firms and other organisations can effectively tackle structural barriers and gender inequalities and promote women’s participation in decision-making processes towards fostering gender equality. We therefore urge all firms and organisations to adopt the Gender Equality in Law Model Policy in order to ensure respect for the dignity of all persons at the work place in accordance with international human rights and labor regulations and demonstrate commitment to protecting against sexual harassment, equal pay for equal work, equitable hiring and promotion, and protection against all forms of gender bias and stereotyping at the workplace.
It is imperative for all firms and organisations to adopt and implement the Gender Equality in Law Model Policy in order to foster gender equality for human rights and Sustainable Development.
