CS Aisha Jumwa CSW68 Statement - Women Leadership in Kenya

Ministry of Gender, Culture, Arts and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Aisha delivered Kenya's statement on Women in Leadership during the 68th annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) at the UN. Below is what she had to say.

CS Aisha Jumwa Statement

The Government of Kenya recognizes that ending poverty and achieving inclusive sustainable development, requires investment in economic and social policies supported by gender responsive and accountable institutions.

The Government has put in place a legal framework that promotes economic empowerment and gender equality, facilitating efforts towards poverty eradication in Kenya.

Kenya Vision 2030, is reinforced by Kenya's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), which aims at alleviating poverty by lowering the annual inflation rate to 5%; eradicating hunger and creating 1,200,000 jobs annually.

Women in Leadership in Kenya

Women's representation in key dockets testifies to Kenya's reinforcement of the gender equality agenda. In the executive, women account for 32% of the Cabinet Secretaries.

Three women have been elevated to the highest level of Government as Advisors on Women's Rights and National Security and the Secretary to Cabinet. Additionally, women occupy financial dockets namely: Auditor General,Controller of Budgets, Salaries and Remuneration Commission, Commission on Revenue Allocation. A woman is at helm of the Devolution discourse, chairing the Governors' Council.

Given the importance of the Judiciary on access to justice, women constitute 91 out of 177 judges and 298 of 542 magistrates. Moreover, the Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice are women.

The Judiciary has established eleven (11) Specialized Gender Based Violence Courts, staffed with well-trained judicial officers. They embody trauma-informed approaches that prioritize survivors' safety and dignity.

The Government budget reforms through public sector hearings provide women with an opportunity to contribute to the budget making process.

Control of Budget Management Information System (COBMIS) has strengthened financial systems. The Standard Chart of Accounts systems track and publicize allocations for gender programming.

Currently 49.5 percent of women own a mobile phone. Technological changes and shift towards digital platforms have boosted women owned enterprises. Commercial banks have tailor-made unique financial products for women. The Hustler fund seeks to cushion and mitigate financial shocks for the informal sector which accounts for more than 80% of the workforce and contributes over 33% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Within one year, the Fund disbursed USD242.6 million to 21.2 million people and mobilized USD12.13 million in savings, enabling women to reinvest in their businesses. This spurred economic growth, generating multiple effects to families and communities.

Investments in TVET institutions education infrastructure grew by 435% costing USD70.7 billion between 2013 to 2022. Female enrolment increased by 469% with a parity index of 0.80. Since 2012, approximately 7.9 million girls have been retained in schools through the Sanitary Towels Programme.

In fulfilment of the Generation Equality commitments, a co-financed model of a GBV survivors' fund with non-state actors is in place and an allocation of USD2.7 million for elimination of FGM and GBV. Through partnerships, USD4.3 million was allocated by Government of Finland and USD0.2 million by UNFPA.

On Climate Change, the Government launched a granular gender and climate change hotspot mapping and is developing a National Gender and Climate Change Action Plan.

In conclusion, Kenya will constructively engage and share its experiences during this session. We look forward to a bold and action-oriented outcome which should build up to the Summit of the Future, Pact for the Future and the 2025 World Social Summit.