Nakuru County government has announced plans to significantly enhance gender mainstreaming across all its departments.
This initiative, spearheaded by the Department of Gender, Social Services and Inclusivity, aims to ensure that gender considerations are integrated into all policy decisions and programme implementations.
Nakuru Chief Officer for Gender, Social Services, and Inclusivity Ms. Gladys Kamuren said this ambitious move aligns closely with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Gender Equality.
Kamuren added that by mainstreaming gender across all departments, the County is actively working towards achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls which she said included ensuring equal access to education, healthcare, economic opportunities, and political representation.
Furthermore, she stated that integrating gender considerations into development planning and implementation could contribute to progress on other SDGs, such as SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 2: Zero Hunger, and SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.
She emphasizing that when women and girls have equal access to resources and opportunities, they could more effectively contribute to poverty reduction, food security, and improved health outcomes for their communities.
Speaking today at the conclusion of a three-day workshop for Chief Officers from Nakuru and Nyandarua counties, Ms. Kamuren, urged her counterparts to support these efforts by allocating necessary resources, developing comprehensive plans, tracking progress, and reporting on outcomes.
She underscored the department’s unwavering commitment to providing full support to all departments working towards gender equality in Nakuru County.
She noted that significant strides in promoting gender equality have been made in recent years with notable achievements being establishment of gender-responsive policies and plans that address gender-specific issues, such as gender-based violence, access to education, healthcare, and economic empowerment.
Additionally, the Chief Officer highlighted the county’s increased representation of women in leadership positions, both in public and private sectors.
She said the County government has forged partnerships with civil society organizations working on gender equality issues to enhance their capacity and amplify their voices.
She however acknowledged that despite these achievements, there was still much work to be done to achieve true gender equality in Nakuru County, thus, the planned scale-up of gender mainstreaming is a crucial step in this direction.
Among those present at the workshop were Chief Officers Dr. Michael Cheruiyot (Livestock), Ken Mungai (Environment), Catherine Changwony (Public Communications), Samwel Ndegwa (Infrastructure), and Newton Mwaura (Department not specified).
By Veronica Bosibori
