http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/161339 2026-04-08T19:34:16Z http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/167234 Women's Economic Forum - Kenya 2025 AWSC, Women's Economic Empowerment Hub The theme for this year’s forum is “What Works for Women’s Economic Empowerment” The Women’s Economic Forum 2025 is organized in partnership with the African Women Studies Center-Women’s Economic Empowerment Hub (WEE Hub) of the University of Nairobi in collaboration with key stakeholders, including the Center for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW) and The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA), among others. This year’s forum will, among other activities, present the research approaches and findings gleaned over the four and a half years of the AWSC-UoN Women’s Economic Empowerment-WEE project implemented in collaboration with CRAWN Trust and other partners. The forum will also provide a platform to highlight some of the challenges that women in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) face in the spaces of their engagement. The forum will showcase the impact of the interventions made to demonstrate what works towards empowering women economically and share the documented challenges and bottlenecks that need to be addressed in the journey to women’s economic empowerment and emancipation in Kenya. Under the theme of “What Works for Women’s Economic Empowerment,” the forum will emphasize the importance of identifying effective strategies that can be implemented at scale to enhance women’s access to economic opportunities for their empowerment. Kenya stands at a pivotal moment where the economic landscape presents both real challenges and untapped opportunities for women, and the forum will aim to show viable options for the way forward. Concept Note 2025-02-01T00:00:00Z http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/161352 Policy Brief on Kazi Mtaani African Women's Studies & Research Centre, Women's Economic Empowerment Hub This Policy Brief is the result of research conducted by the Women’s Economic Empowerment Hub, African Women Studies Center, and the University of Nairobi. The research involved desk research, a review of best practices for social protection program design, and collection of both qualitative and quantitative data in four counties where Kazi Mtaani was implemented, namely: Nairobi, Kiambu, Nakuru, and Kitui. The objective of the research was to evaluate the lessons that can be learned from the Kenya Government’s Economic Stimulus Packages on social protection safety nets for future disaster preparedness for WEE using the example of Kazi Mtaani. The outcomes of the research were presented during debrief workshops in the counties and the key findings were distilled through this policy brief. Policy Brief 2022-02-01T00:00:00Z http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/161350 Policy Brief on Inua Jamii African Women's Studies & Research Centre, Women's Economic Empowerment Hub This policy brief is the outcome of research conducted by the Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) HUB, African Women Studies Center, the University of Nairobi in four Counties namely: Nairobi, Nakuru, Kiambu, and Kitui. The research aimed at using the example of Kazi Mtaani and Inua Jamii programs to evaluate the lessons that can be learned from social protection safety nets for future disaster preparedness for WEE. This policy brief distills the key findings, policy implications, and recommendations related to Inua Jamii. Data collection entailed both qualitative and quantitative methods. The quantitative study involved 994 participants from the four Counties out of which 180 participants were Inua Jamii beneficiaries. On the other hand, in order to collect qualitative data, a total of 19 Focus Group Discussions and 77 Key Informants interviews were conducted. The findings revealed that the Inua Jamii program has had an impact on the lives of the beneficiaries with more than 95% of the beneficiaries reporting that they use the cash transfer on food. Another greater percentage of the beneficiaries (47.8%) reported that they use cash transfers on medical expenses. However, about 73.9% of the beneficiaries noted that the cash transfer is not enough because their expenses exceed the amount they receive. In addition, the beneficiaries noted that the program has had some challenges, especially relating to access to information some research participants noted that the mode of communication is not satisfactory and recommended that the means of communication used should be one that reaches a large group target group and on time. They added that they have had issues with inconsistency in the cash transfer disbursement which makes it hard to predict when they will receive the amount and this, in turn, affects their financial decisions and their credit ability Policy Brief 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/161349 Policy Brief Submitted to the National Treasury African Women's Studies & Research Centre, Women's Economic Empowerment Hub This policy brief is based on research work: ‘Assessing what works for Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) in the implementation of Kenya’s Credit Guarantee Scheme’, which evaluated the implementation of the Credit Guarantee Scheme (CGS). The research was undertaken by the University of Nairobi Women’s Economic Empowerment (UON WEE) Hub in collaboration with the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics and the National Treasury. The study aimed at monitoring the extent to which the implementation of the CGS has been gender-inclusive. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Kajiado, Kirinyaga, Kitui, Nairobi, and, Nakuru counties. The findings from this study are expected to serve as input towards improved reporting and dialogue on women’s economic empowerment and support evidence-based policymaking on the implementation of Kenya’s CGS facility. The study finds that the CGS currently targets formal enterprises; more male-owned than female-owned enterprises surveyed had applied for credit; generally, male-owned enterprises are likely to access higher levels of credit than female-owned enterprises; and; female-owned formal enterprises are likely to access high credits levels that female-owned informal enterprises. A key recommendation is therefore to support women’s enterprises to transition from informality to formality through training and other measures such as business incubation so as to enable them to access higher levels of credit. The UON WEE Hub Management under the Leadership of Prof. Wanjiku Kabira (the hub Leader) and Dr. Mary Mbithi (Director of Research) is pleased to share the key findings of this study with you. The research was undertaken by: Agnes Meroka-Mutua, Dalmas Ochieng’ Omia, Sila Muthoka, and, Deborah Muricho. The UON WEE Hub work is financially supported by Policy Brief 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z