In the arid and semi-arid regions of Northern Kenya, women and girls are responsible for collecting water for their families. This often means walking for hours every day in search of water, which takes time away from important activities like education. Thanks to the formation of Pastoralist Alliance for Resilience and Adaptation in Northern Rangelands (PARAN), these women now have a stronger voice and a better chance at securing food security and dietary diversity for their families.

PARAN is an alliance of NGOs that work together to improve the resilience of pastoralist communities in the face of climate change. One of their main goals is to advocate for a rights-based approach to programming, which means that all people have a right to food, water, and other basic needs. This approach has already led to some positive changes for women in the region.

For example, thanks to PARAN’s advocacy efforts, the Kenyan government has now committed to providing clean water for all schools in the region. This will go a long way towards ensuring that girls have the opportunity to get an education. In addition, PARAN is working with local partners to set up community-based early warning systems that can help alert pastoralists to changes in the environment that could impact their livelihoods.

All of these efforts are making a real difference for women and girls in the region. Thanks to PARAN, they now have a better chance at securing a bright future for themselves and their families.