There have been concerns that the empowerment of women and girls is leaving men and the boy child behind. Many seem to worry that there is too much emphasis on empowering the girl child and wonder what will happen to the boy child.
One employer recently claimed women empowerment movement had created a problem in his workplace. He said most leaders in the organization were women and that he noticed men had retreated on leadership. It is a fact that women have made strides and their representation is growing in various spheres of life, including politics, since the Beijing Conference on gender equality in 1995.
But a look at statistics on gender parity in many sectors of the economy shows women still have a long way to go. For instance, a report by Kenyatta University Women's Economic Empowerment Hub (KU-WEE) showed that the proportion of women in entry-level job groups in public service dropped by 10 per cent in a decade - from 41.7 per cent in 2010 to 31.3 per cent in 2020. This was despite more women acquiring degrees over that period.
The Nairobi City County's 2021 gender audit sought to clarify key constructs underlying gender analysis - implementation of the two thirds gender rule, uptake of 30% of procurement tenders reserved for youth, women and persons with disabilities, access to resources, public participation in programs and projects, supporting legal framework for gender across 15 sectors or directorates within Nairobi City County.
Urban Planning Department received a low rating for the extent to which gender mainstreaming has been achieved. While the other 14 sectors received a high or moderate rating, only one has developed a policy framework which can guide, support, and promote Gender Equity & Women Empowerment in their operations and engagements. The 2023 report by Women in Real Estate (WIRE) shows that the rate of women representation in the construction industry has stagnated at an average of eight per cent across professions.
Sixteen professional bodies and three regulatory bodies were invited to submit their gender data for the annual report. Data from the Architectural Association of Kenya and the National Construction Authority showed trends in gender parity. Although AAK doubled its membership, which comprises architects, engineers, planners, landscape architects, environment designers, construction project managers, and quantity surveyors, its membership of women dropped from 25 per cent to 18 per cent.
On the other hand, statistics from NCA indicated that of the 17,119 registered contractors in 2021, 15 per cent were female, and of the 34,298 accredited artisans, three per cent were female. Due to the Authority not submitting data this year, progress cannot be ascertained.
The Nairobi City County audit report warned that ignoring or being blind to the gender gap could have serious implications for the survival of a people and could retard development.
We need more facts and data about women in the workplace and leadership to show realities on the ground about gender parity. Public and private institutions can hasten the gender equity challenge by releasing information they hold
-The writer is an urban planner
