Published
2020-05-17
Section
Articles
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Copyright (c) 2020 Kerubo Abuya
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How to Cite
Embracing Partnership for Social Transformation and the Realization of Human Rights: A Pathway to Ending Female Genital Mutilation, Marginalization of Women in Political Leadership, and Other Harmful Practices Amongst the Abagusii of Kenya
Kerubo Abuya
Empower Change Leadership Circle, LLC
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24926/ijps.v7i1.3031
Keywords: Transformative Change, Transformative Change Leadership, Leading Change, Cultural Transformation, Transformative Learning, Eisler, Systems of Partnership, Systems of Domination, Patriarchy, Women's Human Rights, Social Transformation, Social Change, Bold Leadership for Humanity in Practice, Female Genital Mutilation, Female Circumcision, Women's Political Leadership, Ubuntu, Utu, Obomwanyabanto, Uongozi Wa Utu, Oborai Bwo Obomwanyabanto, Gusiiland, Gusii, Kisii, Abagusii, Kenya
Abstract
Utilizing the Abagusii community of Southwestern Kenya as a case study, the author explores how patriarchy, a social system that is embedded in a domination social configuration (Eisler, 2007), is fertile ground for several practices which violate girls’ and women’s human rights. These practices range from female genital mutilation to the marginalization of women from participating in more meaningful political leadership and decision-making processes. The author argues that cultural transformation, one of the foundational concepts of her dissertation’s research-based, transformative change leadership development framework “Bold Leadership for Humanity in Practice (BLHP)” (Abuya, 2017), can be an antidote to the prevalent culture of domination in Gusiiland, a culture which perpetuates several practices that violate girls’ and women’s human rights. The author concludes that social change agents and leaders can help foster a culture of partnership, by facilitating a shift in deeply-held cultural assumptions through transformative learning, subsequent transformative change, and cultural transformation for the realization of women’s human rights in Gusiiland.
