| dc.description.abstract | This study was conducted when the debate and reforms around decentralized
governance and gender equality were at its pick. This gave relevance to this study.
The study was conducted in Isiolo South Constituency. The main objective of the
study was to assess women participation in CDF decision making and project cycle
management processes. Specific Objectives were: to identify and analyze the
application of CDF Act provisions towards enhancement of grassroots women
participation in CDF management processes; to establish the levels and nature of
grassroots women's participation; to examine the extent to which the CDF projects
under implementation address the strategic and practical needs of women, and finally
to identify the constraints to women's participation in the CDF management.
Survey method was used to collect quantitative data. Questionnaires were
administered In a face to face interview, and a few questionnaires were self
administered. Key informant interview, Focus group discussions, and in-depth
interview were employed to provide qualitative data. The quantitative data analysis
was computer assisted and present in graphs, tables and descriptive statistics, while
qualitative data were organized in categories and themes for analysis and presented in
narrative, case study and quotations forms. Desk study was done to provide necessary
literature on the study topic.
The study assessed the demographic characteristic of the Constituency. The key
characteristics were assessed were education level, occupation, economic activities,
marriage, sex, and area of residence. The findings were that most of the adult
population are illiterate, herders and mostly poor, married and have lived in the
constituency for over six years. In relation to sex of the respondent, 30% were women
and 70% were men. While the target was almost 50-50 men and women, only a few
women accepted to be interviewed. Besides, most of the committees were men and by
default the number of women respondent had to come down. Illiteracy affects women
participation since in formal meetings they cannot read minutes and policy papers.
They depend on other literate members to translate and often when translating some
information is lost in the process. This is quite disempowering. Most respondent are
married since it brings along respect and one is considered to be responsible hence
can be called upon to participate in community issues. Economically, most women
did not have control over productive resources.
In relation to application of CDF Act to enhance women participation, the
constituency faired well. Three women were appointed to the Constituency
Development Committee. Two are women representatives and one is a youth a
representative. However, this is a negligible figure considering that the CDC has
fifteen (15) members. It shows that Member of Parliament did not consider women in
other slots. Furthermore, while the Acts provides that the quorum for CDC meeting
is one half, the practice has been different, and CDC meetings have been usually
attended by three people; the MP, CDF Coordinator and treasurer and occasionally
the DDO. If the Act was to be followed to the later, most current CDC members
should have been replaced by new ones since they rarely attend meetings, but this
never happened.
The few women who were in the committees rarely attended the CDC meetings. Two
attended twice and once respectively while one attended frequently since she is the
treasurer and her presence is necessary for cash withdrawals. The reasons put forward
for poor attendance are that they are busy with household chores and that since the
meetings were mostly held outside their locations they cannot afford to be absent
from home (85%), secondly, prior notification was rarely given hence they do not
actually know when the meetings are being held., thirdly most meetings are held not
to discuss projects but politics and are held mostly at night therefore they see no
added value in attending. This shows that women participation in CDF management
is minimal
In relation to women participation in project cycle processes, majority (84.8%) of the
respondents do not know their role. The Constituency had a strategic plan which was
developed by a few Cronies of the MP and there after the MP meets mostly with the
treasurer, the CDF co-ordinator and the District Development Officer to process CDF
issues. This in essence means that women and also some men are locked out of
project related issues. However, during implementation, occasionally women are
called upon to provide labor.
Regarding projects, most CDF are implemented by contractors. By time this study
was conducted, no woman has won a tender to implement projects in the
constituency. They do not have requisite qualifications to bid. The reasons were that
they lack capital since traditionally, women do not have control over productive
resources, and that most women are not employed due to illiteracy hence have no
access to paid jobs, and secondly, they do not have companies and generally are not
aware of the tendering process. One woman who won a tender in nearby
constituency was interviewed to get some insight on how she managed to win. The
reasons were that: she knew the MP, had capital, company, and fulfils all tendering
requirements. However, she reiterated that she will never bid again for CDF projects
since she was hustled so much simply because she was a woman and even labeled as
the MPs girl friend and that no one wants to see that she is actually qualified to do the
job. Corruption is also rampant and she does not want to be corrupt in the process.
Regarding gender responsiveness of CDF project, the CDF Act is gender neutral as it
talks of projects for common good or community projects. In addition, the CDF Acts
provides certain percentage allocation to education, emergency and administration,
which limits choices of projects. While most CDF project address women needs in
general, woman would have wished to have projects which address their specific
need. The bursary for instance does not segregate between boys and girls, the women
wished to have the few girl children in school to benefit for motivation given their
low enrolment and retention rate.
In summary, women participation in CDF decision making and project management
is minimal. The key constraints include practical issues like heavy workload,
illiteracy, lack of economic resources, culture of patriarchy, lack of awareness of their
roles in CDF, CDF being too political, and failure by the CDF Act to make more
provision for women in line with the Government directive of having women to
represent 30% in all government appointments. In general, MPs plays legislative and
executive role, thus going against the separation of powers as contained in Kenya's
constitution. CDF management is also inadequately audited and monitored thus easily
abused.
The recommendations are repealing of the CDF Act and made provisions to enhance
more women participation by for instance, making more slots for women in the CDC,
removing powers from the MP to make CDF management less political, affirmative
action for women win tenders even if it means group tendering, and establishment of a
body to monitor and audit the CDF management. Other recommendations include timely
communication on CDF meetings, awareness creations through radio programmes and
workshops. In the long tern, education of girl child to open up their perspectives of life
and help remove the shackles of culture and tradition. Further research on why women
participation is not felt even where the numbers are available. More to this would be a
research on why women have not been able to cut the 'cultural chains' that prohibit their
participation. Related to the above, a research on men dominance in CDF management is
deemed necessary to answer the missing link to meaningful women participation in CDF
management and development programmes. | en |
