More Kenyan women are choosing to be on 'top'

Kenyan households have never been more diverse, more perplexing, or more surprising. Gender norms are quickly evolving, and the share of female-led households is increasingly becoming the norm among Kenyan families. No matter who is to blame, the fact remains that six out of every 10 Kenyan women are likely to be single mothers by the time they hit 45.

A recent Pan-African research by two Canadian sociologists found that Kenya has one of the highest numbers of single-women-led households on the continent. Interviews conducted around Nairobi with single mothers of varying ages and economic status suggest that the choice to bear a child involves a mixture of practical, spiritual, and emotional considerations, and is typically not a straightforward moral decision.