The role of civil society in promoting participation of women in Kenyan politics (2008 - 2012)
Abstract
This project was concerned with the Role of Civil S
ociety Organizations (CSOs) in
promoting political participation of women in Kenya
n politics between 2008-2012. This
was the period following the experience of post ele
ction violence and the agitation for the
new constitution in Kenya. The study’s objectives i
ncluded examining the activities
carried out by the CSOs in empowering women politic
ally, and the challenges the CSOs
encounter in their promotion of women participation
in politics in Kenya.
The findings of the study were that the civil socie
ty plays a significant role in advocating
for gender equality and women’s rights in the socie
ty while seeking to increase women’s
participation in all decision making organs, women’
s representation in parliament and
participation in politics. However, CSOs face chall
enges such as lack of funds,
administrative inefficiency, political interference
, donor conditionalities and competition
among organizations for donor funding influence pro
ject activity success.
The study therefore recommended that the CSOs need
to overcome these challenges in
order to support women political participation. Thi
s can be done by improving CSOs
funding, educating the public through capacity buil
ding programmes, by networking with
stakeholders with whom the CSOs share same interest
s and holding joint activities for
projects sharing the same outcome.