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
