Gender and Affirmative Action Principal Secretary Anne Wang’ombe has urged women, youth and other special interest groups to take advantage of government initiatives and programs within the State Department to improve their socio-economic standards.
The PS said that the government is implementing a number of programs critical to the welfare of women in line with its national, regional and global commitment to advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
She identified the Women Enterprise Fund, the National Government Affirmative Action Fund and the AntiFGM Board as playing crucial roles in elevating the status of women and marginalized groups in the community thereby enhancing their dignity and human rights.
”These agencies undertake critical activities that provide disadvantaged groups with access to financial support, enhance women’s participation in leadership and decision-making, and provide education to communities through advocacy and awareness creation against harmful cultural practices respectively,” she stated.
While speaking in Kisumu during the FESTAC Africa Festival Women Summit, PS Wang’ombe called on regional players to safeguard the gains achieved so far in the promotion of the equality agenda noting the leading role of Kenya in the journey.
Recent development in Kenya has seen a significant increase in the number of women joining leadership ranks both in elective and appointive positions.
According to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) data, the number of female gubernatorial candidates for instance increased from nine in 2017 to 22 in 2022, out of which seven women were elected as County Governors, representing a 32% success rate.
A similar percentage was witnessed in cabinet appointment where seven women were nominated to the Cabinet in addition to the appointment of three women advisors to the executive.
“My call in this Summit is for us to engage in open dialogues to identify practical strategies that can dismantle existing barriers so that, together, we can explore pathways for enhancing women’s participation in leadership, expanding access to entrepreneurship, and promoting sustainable social development”, Wang’ombe said.
The summit aimed to explore strategies that can drive meaningful change for women across the continent in the areas of leadership, entrepreneurship and social development by sharing experiences, lessons and insights from experts and women trailblazers.
