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. A GESI approach is important in development as it considers unequal power relations and inequalities experienced by individuals as a result of their social identities, including gender, location, (dis)ability, wealth, education, age, ethnicity, race, and sexuality. Gender inequality and social exclusion therefore, becomes a barrier to social progress in many aspects of our lives including access to education and healthcare, employment, capital, poverty reduction etc. The analysis by the British High Commission brought to light some compelling insights about Kenya. It identifies women and girls, people living with disabilities, LGBTQI+ people, refugees, ethnic minorities, communities living in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (Asals), and the urban poor and informal settlement dwellers as the most at-risk groups. High-risk groups While the report acknowledges Kenya's notable milestones in establishing an ecosystem that supports and promotes GESI, the sad truth is that, most people in the high-risk groups continue to experience significant discrimination and inequality in economic, social and political life. The numbers are a chronicle of damning evidence of existing gaps. Poverty remains a key barrier in achieving gender equality and social inclusion. At least 53 per cent of Kenyans live in multidimensional poverty, deprived of services, rights and basic needs. And one in every three Kenyans are 'monetary poor.' The majority of the poorest (67 per cent) live in rural areas, and the rest in urban slums. Poverty and deprivation are driven by multiple, and often overlapping factors including gender, age, and where one lives. Women are more likely to be poor than men, and at least 6.4 million young people between ages 18-34 are also categorised as poor, a disturbing situation since more than 70 per cent of Kenya's population comprises of the youth. Gender inequality remains a key driver of poverty and social exclusion in Kenya. Women and girls face systematic barriers in accessing quality education, healthcare, and paid employment. They experience high levels of gender-based violence, lack control of production resources such as land and remain underrepresented in leadership and decision making. This is partially a result of the highly patriarchal nature of Kenyan society. Cleary, the more than 20 pieces of legislation and policy interventions aimed at improving gender equality and social inclusion continue to face significant challenges. Gender gaps To fully address these challenges, an all hands-on deck approach is called for. A multifaceted approach from the government, civil society partners, communication and media, research and higher education institutions, donors and investors is required. Mawazo Institute, an organisation that supports early career women researchers in their quest to discover impactful solutions to local and global problems, has adopted an innovative approach to address gender gaps. It's focus on research and women empowerment is not by accident: It is informed by evidence that in these two critical areas, Africa is woefully deficient, a result of a 'leaky pipeline' in higher education in which women and girls face severe attrition rates. For instance, women account for only 31 per cent of total researchers. Women researchers The priority is to nurture the professional development and thought leadership potentials of early-career African women researchers conducting PhDs, and highlight the practical application, visibility and impact of evidence-based locally generated and women-led research in Africa. By 2026, Mawazo aims to grow its network of fellows to 130 African women researchers representing at least 15 African nationalities. Through its innovative programmes, the Mawazo Fellowship and Mawazo Voices programmes, the institute hopes to close gender gap in the research sector in Africa. The institute's vision and mission are pegged on a core belief that African women conducting PhDs are driven, creative, analytical and critical thinkers who bring a unique perspective to research and development. And they are helping to open the doors for voices who have historically been excluded from decision-making - one woman at a time!

With all hands on deck, gender and social inclusion achievable

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