Inuka dada project

The project aims at increasing the participation of women in leadership within FPFK.

The three years project has been working in close cooperation with leaders at various levels of the church to influence them towards inclusive leadership. The project aims at building individuals’ gender confidence and capability by providing platforms for both men and women to change their mindsets, assumptions, and behaviors. The project recognizes the economic and social power relations that excluded women and therefore work around changing the perceptions of church leaders towards their inclusion. The main objective is to see “women are well represented in leadership, governance and decision making at all levels within FPFK Church and the community”. This has been achieved through policy review, mainstreaming gender in FPFK institutions, sensitization and dialogues of key stakeholders. The project noted that women in leadership positions within FPFK Church were minimal and insignificant from the local, regional level through to the national church levels. This was attributed to low level of embracing women in getting involved in leadership positions at the church and community levels. After the project interventions through dialogue and sensitization workshops, the project recorded positive results.

15 +

Female Pastors

19+

Women studIing theology at KCC.

14%

FPFK Women local leadership level

15%

FPFK Women National church leadership

Project positive results

FPFK Interventions

After the project interventions through dialogue and sensitization workshops, the project recorded positive results.

Women representation at church levels:
After the project interventions there has been a significant improvement in the representation of women in leadership from 168/1200 (14%) to 1,058/1200 (88.1%) at FPFK local leadership level, and (5.1%) to 69/310(22.2%) at FPFK regional level. Women account for 12% at the National church leadership of the total positions with men at 88%. There was an impressive performance by women in the national board elections in which they scored 40% unlike in the previous board, where there was no single women representation. Now, we have four women now in the board.
The women being in leadership and decision making platform has increased their self-esteem and provided an opportunity for them to express their desired opinion. This has enhanced church development and increased membership
Institutional change and women pastors:
There has been an institutional change, especially Karen Christian College (KCC) having developed the engendered curriculum. About 531/1200 (44.2%) felt that it was important for KCC to embrace inclusivity through the adoption of engendered curriculum. The project believes that through the sensitization of key stakeholders of KCC it encouraged many pastors to understand the Biblical view of gender and theology. This has not only motivated the pastors to give
space for women to take up theological studies, but has also made the women been motivated to rise up and study theology. As a result, 15 women have been ordained as pastors in various regions when it was only one at 2019. Out of 15 female pastors, 6 have been given local churches to minister while 9 are serving as assistant pastors. There are over 19 women who have enrolled with KCC to study theology.