With all hands on deck, gender and social inclusion achievable

Women and girls face systematic barriers in accessing quality education, healthcare, and paid employment. [iStockphoto]

Kenya continues to face an uphill task in achieving globally recommended Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) standards. A tally of progressive laws and policies over recent years has failed to translate into a solid success in the face of deep-rooted barriers.

A recent Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Analysis commissioned by the British High Commission in Nairobi clearly identified these barriers as limited resources, lack of synergy between ministries as well as the national and county governments and pervasive norms and attitudes that derail the implementation of laws and policies.