Women Key to Peace in Drought-Hit Baringo, New Report Shows

By Our Reporter

A new report highlighting the critical role of women in peacebuilding in the wake of climate-induced conflicts in Baringo County has been launched, calling for inclusive and actionable climate responses that prioritize community voices.

Speaking during the report’s launch in Nairobi, Salome Awuonda, Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Sustainable and Inclusive Development (ACSID), emphasized that the research is grounded in the lived experiences of local communities—particularly the Ilchamus and Endorois people.

The report explores how climate change intensifies local conflicts, mainly due to drought and dwindling natural resources, and how women have emerged as central players in building peace in these fragile settings.

“Our work is to amplify the voices of marginalized communities,” Awuonda said.

“This report reflects their input—especially from women and youth—who are disproportionately affected but rarely represented in peace efforts. These are not researcher-driven recommendations. They came from the people.”

She highlighted the devastating effects of climate-driven conflict, including child recruitment into armed groups, school dropouts, teenage pregnancies, and early marriages—affecting both boys and girls.

Awuonda noted that the next step will be to engage policymakers at both national and county levels, including Baringo County officials and the Ministry of Interior.

“We will ensure the recommendations do not remain on a shelf,” she added.

“We want action.”Senator Moses Kajwang, Chair of the Parliamentary Caucus on Climate Action, praised the report for addressing gender equity in conflict resolution.

He criticized the long-standing exclusion of women from peace negotiations and challenged the romanticized view of cattle rustling in pastoralist communities.

“We’ve normalized cattle rustling as a cultural practice, yet it’s organized crime driven by climate pressures such as drought and shrinking grazing lands,” Kajwang said.

“Men, who are often the instigators of conflict, have led peace efforts. That must change.”The senator called for increased investment in women-led peacebuilding and local conservation initiatives.

He also recommended that indigenous communities like the Ilchamus and Endorois benefit from carbon trading schemes and digital sequencing revenues, acknowledging their historical role in protecting Kenya’s forests and water sources.

According to the report, 80 percent of Endorois women were married while 20 percent were widowed, with education levels ranging from no formal schooling to college completion.

Ilchamus women showed similar patterns, with 33 percent lacking formal education and 17 percent attaining tertiary education.

Among Endorois men, there was a mix of youth, adults, and elders, with 56 percent married and 44 percent having college education. Ilchamus men also demonstrated high adult representation and moderate academic attainment.

Despite these educational disparities, the report stressed the vital role of women in grassroots peace efforts.

Women have increasingly taken on mediation roles in conflicts over land, water, and pasture, disputes that are often worsened by prolonged droughts.

Though largely informal and unrecognized by official structures, their interventions have been crucial in de-escalating tensions and promoting dialogue in deeply divided communities.