A Success Story of the AWSC Women’s Economic Empowerment Hub

Abstract

Kenya has made notable progress toward gender equality, yet women continue to face deep-rooted structural and socio-economic barriers that limit their full economic participation. Women account for nearly half of Kenya’s labor force but remain underrepresented in formal employment and face lower earnings, limited access to finance, and a disproportionate burden of unpaid care work. In response, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supported the establishment of the Women’s Economic Empowerment Hub (WEE Hub) at the University of Nairobi’s African Women Studies Centre (AWSC) to generate gender-responsive evidence, influence policy, and promote sustainable economic empowerment for women. Implemented over the period September 2020 to August 2025, the WEE Hub combined rigorous research, active policy engagement, and knowledge dissemination to address systemic barriers, promote equitable opportunities, and strengthen advocacy for gender-responsive economic transformation.