Crown Princess Mary of Denmark has made an unannounced trip to Kenya to meet with and focus on organisations that aim to improve the rights of girls and women. The Crown Princess was accompanied by Danish Minister of Development Cooperation Ulla Tørnæs. The trip was kept secret due to security concerns in Kenya – a country that has seen an uptick in terrorist attacks over the past several years.
The Danish delegation first flew to the capital of Nairobi before heading up the northern area of the country and landing at the Kalama Airstrip. There they were welcomed by local soldiers and women who performed songs and danced. They also presented Her Royal Highness with colourful Kenyan clothing and a headdress from the Masai culture that she proudly put on and wore during her visit.
Her Royal Highness was in the African nation for two days focusing on gender issues at the end of November. Her visit included meetings with the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) organisation, which is supported by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA). The NRT is “working to strengthen women in poor patriarchal nomad societies,” according to the Danish Royal House, “by involving girls and women in the operation of the wildlife reserves.”
Because of the work of NRT, more women and girls have been able to access education. Mary was able to speak to the local women who have benefited from the work of NRT and hear about their everyday challenges in the area.
Crown Princess Mary also participated in the launch of Women Deliver campaign “Deliver For Good.” She also participated in the same launch in the United States. The campaign “seeks to find solutions for meeting world goals.”
The Crown Princess has worked with Women Deliver for a number of years.
