The reforms are backed by the Institute of Public Finance among others The push comes amid mounting pressure from lawmakers who argue that despite significant allocations through funds such as the National Government Affirmative Action Fund and other affirmative schemes, the impact on women’s economic independence remains uneven.
HANDOUT. Kenya is preparing a major overhaul of how billions of shillings in women's economic empowerment funds are deployed, with policymakers pushing for consolidation, coordination and measurable impact. This comes amid growing concerns over fragmentation, which has made it difficult to track inefficiencies.
Deliberations around the proposed Women Economic Empowerment Policy reveal a system currently weighed down by overlapping programmes across ministries, counties and donor-backed initiatives, which often target the same beneficiaries with limited tracking of outcomes.
The Institute of Public Finance (IPF) says the Cabinet-approved National Policy on Women’s Economic Empowerment could transform how government programmes support women across the country. IPF senior programmes officer Victoria Wausi said the new policy framework seeks to align scattered interventions under a single coordinated approach, reducing duplication while directing resources to high-impact sectors such as agriculture, trade, ICT and manufacturing.
“A key focus of the policy is its value addition, coming at a critical moment as Kenya approaches the final phase of Vision 2030 and aligns with Medium Term Plan IV, for the current five-year implementation framework,” said Wausi. Nairobi Women Representative Esther Passaris said the policy proposes a “whole-of-government” model, bringing together ministries, state agencies, county governments and private sector actors into a unified implementation structure.
“The National Treasury and Economic Planning is expected to anchor funding through gender-responsive budgeting, while the National Gender and Equality Commission will oversee compliance and accountability,” said Passaris. Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA) programmes manager Rosemary Juma said the proposed policy also addresses barriers often overlooked in economic plans.
It seeks to recognise unpaid care work (the hours women spend caring for children, fetching water, cooking, and supporting families) without pay and to address leadership gaps, where women remain underrepresented in decision-making despite being a majority of voters.