[PHOTOS] President Uhuru awarded the African Gender Award

President Uhuru Kenyatta has been awarded with this year’s African Gender Award that is given by the Gender is my Agenda Campaign (GIMAC Network).

The network celebrates achievements in gender mainstreaming and the advancement of women in Africa.

Speaking at State House, Nairobi, when he received the award, Uhuru thanked the network for recognising the Republic of Kenya’s leadership towards translating the AU Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality into Action by making it a reality for the lives of women, men, girls and boys.

The Head of State will be among other awardees in a ceremony set to be held on Tuesday, June 14, at State House.GIMAC said the award is based on three thematic indices namely HIV Index, Education Index and Gender Parity Index.

The network also noted other key issues President Kenyatta has achieved under his administration such as the rise in ARVs access for women from 67 percent to 91 percent.

"Uhuru also saw an improvement in primary education enrollment from 37.6 percent in 2016 to 103.4  percent in 2022," the network noted.

Further, the network also commended the head of state for a growth of 2.9 percent in women's representation in parliament between 2016 and 2022 and 16 percent growth between 2019-2022 and the prohibition of the Female Genital mutilation Act 2011.

The Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa was adopted by the Assembly of the Heads of State and Governments of the African Union (AU) in 2004.

Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Armando Guebuza of Senegal, Ellen Sirleaf Johnson of Liberia and Namibian President Hage Geingob are other leaders who have previously been honoured with the gender award.