ROLE OF WOMEN IN PROMOTING NATIONAL COHESION AND INTEGRATION IN KENYA: ESTABLISHING KEY CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Abstract

The role of women in the development in Kenya can never be underestimated. They are indispensable in national development and integration of any country. National cohesion and integration in Kenya is an enabling process to all citizens to have a feeling that they are members of the same nation engaged in a common enterprise, facing shared challenges and opportunities. The main objective of this paper is to establish roles that women play in promoting national cohesion and integration for sustainable development in Kenya. Specific objectives of the study include examining challenges faced by women and opportunities available for them in promoting national integration and cohesion in Kenya. While some women benefit from emerging opportunities nationally, many continue with traditional gender roles and suffer from increased burdens and stress and hence their efforts towards nation building are curtailed. The study adopted a descriptive research design. Various documents on the role of women in promoting national cohesion and integration in Kenya were assessed and evaluated. The key findings of the study are that the impact of multiple crises and challenges like economic and financial crisis, food crisis, conflicts, climate change, and natural disasters on empowerment of women has hindered them from playing their development roles adequately. The paper concludes that adequate resources be allocated at all levels, mechanisms and capacities need to be strengthened and gender-responsive policies need to be enhanced to fully utilize on the women potential to achieve their national development agenda. The paper recommends that women organizations need more funding and support in order to play key roles associated with nation building in Kenya. Women also need to partner with key allies in order to spearhead debates on the removal of retrogressive cultural practices and norms that hinder them from achieving their national agenda Key words: Challenges, Integration, National Cohesion, Opportunities, Women