Over 2.2 million girls in Kenya received free sanitary towels during the 2022/2023 financial year, contributing to improved school attendance and retention rates.
Acting Cabinet Secretary for Gender, Culture, Arts, and Heritage, Musalia Mudavadi, highlighted this achievement, noting that over 12.5 million girls have benefited from the program since its inception in 2011.
“Kenya has achieved near gender parity in enrollment across all education levels. The Gender Parity Index stands at 1.05 in pre-primary, 0.97 in primary, and over 1.05 in secondary levels. The provision of sanitary towels has been instrumental in ensuring girls stay in school,” said Mudavadi.
The fight against harmful cultural practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has also made significant progress.
Elders from Samburu and Pokot communities have committed to ending FGM, and the Sabaot Supreme Council of Elders has signed a declaration against FGM and child marriage, advocating for alternative rites of passage. FGM prevalence has dropped from 38% in 1998 to 15% in 2022.
Efforts to combat Gender-Based Violence (GBV) have also intensified. The government’s GBV helpline, 1195, has provided rapid assistance to survivors, while affirmative action funds have empowered women to start and expand businesses. Women’s participation in public procurement has risen significantly, with tenders awarded to women increasing from Ksh 15.5 billion in 2018/2019 to Ksh 24.9 billion in 2022/2023.
Mudavadi noted that maternal health has seen remarkable improvement, with skilled birth attendance rising from 41% in 2003 to 89% in 2024. HIV prevention awareness campaigns have also resulted in a 60% increase in HIV prevention among young women and an 80% reduction in new infections among adolescents and young adults.
Kenyan women are taking on more leadership roles in peacebuilding and governance. The Women, Peace, and Security Index ranks Kenya 90th globally, an improvement from 107th in 2017. Women now make up 54% of magistrates, 51% of judges, and 36% of corporate board members, surpassing the global average of 23%.
For the first time since independence, Kenya’s Gender Department has been elevated to a full-fledged ministry, reflecting the government’s commitment to women’s rights. This milestone comes as 92% of public institutions now comply with the two-thirds gender principle.
The country is also addressing challenges such as femicide and GBV. From September 2023 to date, Kenya has recorded 7,107 GBV cases and 100 murders of women. In response, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has formed a specialized Missing Persons Unit, and President William Ruto has directed the establishment of a Presidential Working Group on Femicide to propose actionable solutions within 90 days.
Mudavadi emphasized the government’s efforts to integrate women into the digital economy. Programs such as Ajira Digital have connected women to online jobs, with 53% of beneficiaries being young women. The amendment of the Evidence Act in 2021 to allow digital evidence has further protected women from technology-facilitated GBV.