Factors Influencing Women Participation In Project Implementation: The Case Of Gender Mainstreaming Project In Selected Government Ministries In Nairobi County, Kenya.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to establish the factors influencing the participation of women in the implementation of county government projects, with a focus on gender mainstreaming county government projects which are aimed at bringing about gender equality. This study was conducted in Nairobi County and had the following objectives: to determine how the culture of patriarchal systems, resource mobilization, the 2010 Kenyan Constitution, and women leadership influence women’s participation in the implementation of gender mainstreaming in Nairobi County. The target population of this study included the government employees of select ministries, the Ministry of Planning and Devolution and the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Services, who are 1100. The sample population of 92 respondents was staff and department heads of different departments in the selected ministries. The research instrument used was interview guides for department heads and questionnaires for employees. Reliability was established through the split-half method and a pilot study conducted in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs among 11 samples. Qualitative data analysis was done through content analysis. Quantitative data was first coded then analyzed. After interpretation, findings were presented in tables using frequencies and percentages. The study established that the government did little to create awareness among its employees on gender issues. The increased number of women political leaders had little influence in ensuring integration of gender into decision-making and planning of gender-responsive projects. There were gaps in terms of resource mobilization especially the allocation of human resources towards gender mainstreaming. It was established that patriarchal culture established male dominance and gender roles in the ministries. The study further revealed that despite the existence of gender equality laws and policies, their functionality was still low in terms of gender mainstreaming. The study led to the conclusion that gender mainstreaming still faces major challenges and action should be taken to enhance gender equity. The following recommendations were made; community sensitization should be undertaken to change discriminatory cultural beliefs and practices, the government should ensure gender equality in recruitment and employment of staff and equip the staff with knowledge and skills on gender mainstreaming, adequate human and financial resources should be allocated to gender mainstreaming, the government should collaborate with other institutions and claim ownership of the gender mainstreaming process to ensure sustainable resource mobilization, and finally those in the policy and budgetary chain should be educated to ensure gender sensitivity. Further research work on factors influencing participation of women leaders in the implementation of gender-responsive county government projects and factors contributing to female marginalization in projects need to be done.