When Women Hold the Land, the Story Changes

The Indigenous Women’s Council (IWC) marked its 10th anniversary in Nanyuki with a five-day convening that felt less like a ceremony and more like a living archive of courage, culture, and community power. Hosted by Samburu Women Trust under the leadership of Jane Meriwas, the gathering brought together over 400 elders, youth, activists, and allies from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, including representatives from Pokot, Samburu, Turkana, Maasai, Somali, and Ankole communities. Through the Zishaye Grassroots Fund, CIVFUND participated to learn from and reaffirm commitment to indigenous women’s leadership in land, water, and climate justice. Across vibrant cultural moments and strategy sessions, one message remained unmistakable: women’s empowerment strengthens whole communities, not at the expense of men, but through shared progress. Calls centred on girls’ education and economic empowerment, the protection of land rights and cultural heritage, ending FGM and GBV through community-led change, integrating indigenous knowledge into education, strengthening survivor support, engaging men and boys as allies, and positioning indigenous women at the heart of policy and narrative spaces. The anniversary closed as it began, with a declaration of agency: indigenous women are not victims of history, but authors of the future.

Read more: Full highlights, stories of change, and the convening’s key recommendations.