Discus five reason might make gender mainstreaming a challenge in a named society
Gender mainstreaming is integral to a country's sustainable development. Development progress
of any country is also pegged on access to optimal use of resources for both men and women.
Gender mainstreaming of policies and programs in both the public and private sector is important
if gender equality and equity for all citizens is to be achieved. Gender mainstreaming also results
in more effective service on the part of operation, power and resources. Kenya as a country has
made great efforts to mainstream gender in its activities but there have been challenges that have
derailed the process.
Gender mainstreaming is an approach to policy-making that takes into account both women's and
men's interests and concerns so that a gender equality perspective is incorporated in all policies
at all levels and at all stages, The concept of gender mainstreaming was first introduced at the
1985 Nairobi World Conference on Women. It was established as a strategy in international
gender equality policy through the Beijing Platform for Action, adopted at the 1995 Fourth
United Nations World Conference on Women in Beijing, and subsequently adopted as a tool to
promote gender equality at all levels. In 1998, the Council of Europe defined gender
mainstreaming as:
Gender mainstreaming can therefore be defined as the reorganisation, improvement,
development and evaluation of policy processes, so that a gender equality perspective is
incorporated in all policies at all levels and at all stages, by the actors normally involved in
policy-making.
Early marriages
In accordance with a report released by the International Development Center, approximately
650 million women and girls had gotten married by the age of 18.
Early marriage raises an abundance of risks especially for females, including domestic violence
or the loss of opportunity to receive education, and is perceived as an alarming social issue.
, In addition to this, the risk of young pregnancies largely increases, also correlating to the
endangerment of the lives of the mothers due to complications with childbirth.
Factors like patriarchy, gender stereotyping, socialization and lack of societal awareness on
issues pertaining to gender have been seen as the major barriers of gender mainstreaming.
Others include the literacy disparities between men and women and the belief by many people
that gender rnainstreaming is all about women.
iii) Concept of Poverty.
Poverty is another major problem facing women and girls in Kenya. Culturally, men are the
family breadwinners and therefore, they move to urban areas in search for jobs leaving behind
the women and girls in the rural areas to take care of the children and tend the farms.
Rural areas have poor infrastructure and are naturally underdeveloped. This coupled with
retrogressive cultures together with suppressive customs and traditions have disempowered
women in ways that may take generations to reverse. This has eventually reduced women
participation in development.
vi) Violence against women.
Violence against women is a serious problem in Kenya today. This vice is propagated through
rape, wife battering and sexual harassment. Rape incidences are on the rise as well as other forms
of physical and psychological abuse directed towards women and girls. The judicial system has
begun to address this urgent issue by creating legislations such as the sexual offensive bill.15
However, this will continue to be a major challenge especially as it is compounded by its
interrelation with poverty and HIV/AIDS.
Wife battering is also on the rise in Kenya. This is mainly attributed to some cultural believes.
For instance, the Luhyia community of Western Kenya believes that wife beating is a sign of
how much you love your wife.
vii) Access to basic resources.
Gender mainstreaming is integral to a country's sustainable development. Development progress
of any country is also pegged on access to optimal use of resources for both men and women.
Gender mainstreaming of policies and programs in both the public and private sector is important
if gender equality and equity for all citizens is to be achieved. Gender mainstreaming also results
in more effective service on the part of operation, power and resources. Kenya as a country has
made great efforts to mainstream gender in its activities but there have been challenges that have
derailed the process.
Gender mainstreaming is an approach to policy-making that takes into account both women's and
men's interests and concerns so that a gender equality perspective is incorporated in all policies
at all levels and at all stages, The concept of gender mainstreaming was first introduced at the
1985 Nairobi World Conference on Women. It was established as a strategy in international
gender equality policy through the Beijing Platform for Action, adopted at the 1995 Fourth
United Nations World Conference on Women in Beijing, and subsequently adopted as a tool to
promote gender equality at all levels. In 1998, the Council of Europe defined gender
mainstreaming as:
Gender mainstreaming can therefore be defined as the reorganisation, improvement,
development and evaluation of policy processes, so that a gender equality perspective is
incorporated in all policies at all levels and at all stages, by the actors normally involved in
policy-making.
Early marriages
In accordance with a report released by the International Development Center, approximately
650 million women and girls had gotten married by the age of 18.
Early marriage raises an abundance of risks especially for females, including domestic violence
or the loss of opportunity to receive education, and is perceived as an alarming social issue.
, In addition to this, the risk of young pregnancies largely increases, also correlating to the
endangerment of the lives of the mothers due to complications with childbirth.
Factors like patriarchy, gender stereotyping, socialization and lack of societal awareness on
issues pertaining to gender have been seen as the major barriers of gender mainstreaming.
Others include the literacy disparities between men and women and the belief by many people
that gender rnainstreaming is all about women.
iii) Concept of Poverty.
Poverty is another major problem facing women and girls in Kenya. Culturally, men are the
family breadwinners and therefore, they move to urban areas in search for jobs leaving behind
the women and girls in the rural areas to take care of the children and tend the farms.
Rural areas have poor infrastructure and are naturally underdeveloped. This coupled with
retrogressive cultures together with suppressive customs and traditions have disempowered
women in ways that may take generations to reverse. This has eventually reduced women
participation in development.
vi) Violence against women.
Violence against women is a serious problem in Kenya today. This vice is propagated through
rape, wife battering and sexual harassment. Rape incidences are on the rise as well as other forms
of physical and psychological abuse directed towards women and girls. The judicial system has
begun to address this urgent issue by creating legislations such as the sexual offensive bill.15
However, this will continue to be a major challenge especially as it is compounded by its
interrelation with poverty and HIV/AIDS.
Wife battering is also on the rise in Kenya. This is mainly attributed to some cultural believes.
For instance, the Luhyia community of Western Kenya believes that wife beating is a sign of
how much you love your wife.
vii) Access to basic resources.
