Project profile — Enhancing Women’s Political Leadership and Decision-Making in Kenya

• Kenya (100.00%)

• Democratic participation and civil society:
Democratic participation and civil society (15150) (20.00%)
Elections (15151) (40.00%)
Media and free flow of information (15153) (25.00%)
Women's rights organisations and movements, and government institutions (15170) (15.00%)

• Gender equality (principal objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (significant objective)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)
• Nutrition (not targeted)
• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (not targeted)

This project aims to increase women’s participation in political leadership and decision-making. It directly benefits women aspiring for political leadership, including young women, incumbent members of parliament, elected and nominated members of county assemblies, county peace committee members and women living with disabilities, also survivors of violence against women in elections. Project activities include: (1) running episodes in the form of a TV reality show broadcasted on national television, reaching 3 million Kenyans per week and profiling women leaders in audio, visual and print media. This include the production of TV and radio documentaries of women leaders; (2) working with five women’s rights organizations, two dedicated to working with people living with disabilities, government, political parties and the media; and, also working with members of the academia and faith-based organizations to challenge discriminatory social norms that prevent women’s leadership and advocate for women’s political rights; (3) building the leadership capacity of young women aspirants and women leaders on effective lobbying, communication and decision-making; and (4) providing support to women survivors of violence in elections to access essential services (including legal aid) and seek accountability.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased women’s participation in electoral processes in Kenya; (2) prevention and response to violence against women in elections in Kenya; and (3) enhanced enabling environment for community, religious leaders, media and political parties supporting women’s leadership in Kenya.

Results achieved as of March 2023 include: (1) increased the number of women elected into leadership positions in Kenya, resulting in women holding 201 out of 1882 elective seats, compared to 179 in 2017. In 2022, the National Assembly elected 29 women representatives, up from 23 in 2017. The number of women Governors increased from three in 2017 to seven in 2022, while the number of women Members of the County Assemblies has risen from 96 in 2017 to 115 in 2022. The percentage of women candidates on the ballot also increased from 8.7% in 2017 to 12% in 2022; (2) supported interventions by the United Nations Women on ending violence against women. This reduced the sexual violence reports during the election campaigning period to three cases of sexual violence, compared to 201 in 2017. It also reduced cases of lost life between the campaigning, polling, and post-polls to seven, compared to 99 cases of death documented by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights during the 2017 election period; (3) worked with grassroots women groups and the media to advocate for peaceful elections; and (4) encouraged the government to demonstrate its commitment to addressing Violence Against Women in Politics and fostering a peaceful environment for elections. This is through reviewing the elections security arrangement plan and noting gender-based violence as one of the most serious threats to peaceful elections.

• Proactive disclosure