Browsing by Author "Mwatha, Regina"

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    Actionable Gaps: Help- Seeking Behavior among Young Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence and Non- partner Sexual Violence in Nairobi, Kenya
    (Verixiv, 2025-08-26) Ngina, Judy; Thomas, Haley L; Wood, Shannon N.; Williams, Anaise; Thiongo, Mary; Mwatha, Regina; Kamau, Mercy; Ngare, Wamue Grace; Decker, Michele R.; Gichangi, Peter
    Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) and non-partner sexual violence (NPSV) remain prevalent and underreported forms of gender-based violence (GBV) globally, with adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in sub- Saharan Africa facing unique help-seeking barriers. While GBV-related service provision has expanded in Kenya, few studies have simultaneously examined IPV and NPSV and corresponding helpseeking among AGYW. Methods We employed a mixed-methods design using quantitative survey data from 831 young women aged 15–29 years in Nairobi, Kenya, and indepth interviews (IDIs) with a purposive subsample of 15 young women. Quantitative measures captured the prevalence of past-year IPV and NPSV, help-seeking behaviors, service utilization, and barriers to care. IDIs explored lived experiences, community norms, perceptions of formal and informal services, and structural barriers to support. Results Among partnered women, 28.0% reported past-year IPV, while 5.2% of all women reported NPSV. Nearly all women who experienced NPSV also experienced IPV. Help-seeking was low: 31% of IPV and NPSV survivors sought any form of support. Survivors reported seeking help primarily from informal networks, such as friends or relatives; formal service utilization remained limited, with counseling and medical services more commonly accessed than police or legal services. Qualitative data revealed three major themes shaping help-seeking: (1) normalization of violence, (2) perceived quality and accessibility of GBV services, and (3) structural and socio-cultural barriers, including economic dependence, fear of retaliation, shame, and corruption. Conclusion Help-seeking among AGYW experiencing IPV and NPSV in Nairobi is hindered by deeply entrenched social norms, limited youth-friendly services, and pervasive institutional mistrust. Interventions need to address the normalization of violence, enhance trauma-informed and context-responsive services, and leverage trusted community intermediaries to improve access and support. Integrated, survivorcentered approaches are essential to address the complex interplay of IPV and NPSV and reduce barriers to care for young women.
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    Addressing the Practical Gender Needs of Refugee Women for their Economic Empowerment: Perspectives from the Ampain and Egyeikrom Camps in Ghana
    (International Journal of Business Management, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 2022) Ofosu-Koranteng, Monica; Mwatha, Regina; Okemwa, Pacificah
    This paper looked at how the practical gender needs of refugee women are addressed to promote their economic empowerment. The study focused on the Ampain and Egyeikrom refugee camps in Ghana's Western and Central regions. A case study design was used to conduct the study, and a multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 104 refugee women. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected using a semi-structured interview guide, focus group discussions guide and key informants interview guide. Data was analyzed and presented in descriptive statistics and verbatim quotations. The results revealed that refugee women’s practical gender roles had the potential to limit their full participation in the economic empowerment interventions. These included food provision, childcare, and other household chores such as cleaning and washing. However, planners identified these roles and duly addressed them to reduce the negative impact of refugee women's practical gender roles on their economic empowerment. Planners addressed these practical gender roles by working with relevant stakeholders to ensure that complementary and support services were provided. The education directorate provided a school and crèche where women could keep their children and attend to their businesses. The study recommends continuous close collaboration with existing stakeholders and robbing more agencies for collaboration, including the private sector.
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    Effectiveness of Elearning for Educational Advancement in Selected Universities in Nairobi City County, Kenya: The Role of Gender-Based Factors
    (Research Journal of Education, Teaching and Curriculum Studies, 2024-08) Thua, Josephine Nyambura; Okemwa, Pacificah; Mwatha, Regina; Malenya, Francis
    eLearning has provided a favourable education platform for access to timely, quality, and cost-effective education advancement in Kenyan universities. It has not, however, achieved its expected potential and suffers numerous challenges that affect its full implementation. A notable challenge is its effectiveness in catalysing educational advancement by enhancing transition and completion rates in various academic programs. This study aimed to assess the gender disparities that influence the effectiveness of eLearning in select universities. The indicators for effectiveness were defined as the functionality of the eLearning Management Systems (ELMS), benefits accrued from eLearning and progression and completion rates in the programs offered under eLearning. This was a descriptive study using multistage sampling with a sample size of 395 students and 32 KII. The questionnaire, key informant interview guide and content analysis were used as the data collection tools. Data was quantitatively, and qualitatively analysed. Analysis of the ELMS found that the instructor’s availability and guidance on inline interaction was the most effective functionality of ELMSs with means of 4.10 and 4.31 for males and females, respectively. The least concern was the provision of technological devices for eLearning, 3.49 and 3.42, for males and females respectively. There was notable gender disparity in information received during course registration, protection of student data, academic progress data, and support by technical staff. The composite means were 3.81 and 4.01 for males and females respectively. Most females (3.92) found that simplification of e-materials was the most important enabler for eLearning whereas males (3.68) stated that eLearning had improved their accessibility to educational advancement. The highest gender disparities influencing eLearning were the cost-effectiveness and availability of e-materials. These factors influenced completion rates which were slightly higher for males than females as previously reported. This study provides data that can be used to formulate gender-responsive policies that promote, enhance, and sustain the effectiveness of eLearning by minimizing gender-based disparities that would otherwise negatively impact educational advancement
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    Security Constraints Threatening the Utilization of Maritime Resources in the Context of the Indian Ocean
    (JAIS, 2024-01) Nkubitu, Joel Mukaria; Sirera, Merecia; Mwatha, Regina
    The purpose of this article is to investigate security constraints threatening the utilization of maritime resources in the context of the Indian Ocean and implications on peace in the region. The contention of the study is that the Indian Ocean has huge economic value and potential in terms of exploration of offshore gas and oil, short and deep-sea shipping, marine aquatic products, aquaculture and fisheries, blue biotechnology and ocean renewable energy. However, it is faced with a myriad of security threats, such as illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, transnational organized crime, environmental maritime crimes, among. The research objective was to assess the implications of maritime security constraints on the utility of the Indian Ocean blue economy. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design together with a phenomenological approach to achieve thick description on the concerns of the study. The targeted populations were security agencies operating in the area and the business community or investors since they were the key stakeholders in the development of the blue economy. To obtain the sample for study, cluster sampling and stratified random sampling was applied to proportionately select primary respondents, whereas purposive sampling technique was utilized to select key informants to obtain a sample of 384. Primary data was collected using questionnaires and interview schedules. SPSS (Version 24) software was used to compute descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Thematic analysis was also used to analyze qualitative data from open-ended questions and presented along quantitative data. The results from questionnaire and tools were triangulated to obtain a thick description. The findings of the study revealed that Indian Ocean had huge blue economy potential in terms of provision of livelihoods to the coastal people in addition to the investment opportunities to several onshore and offshore businesses, such tourism, transport, mineral exploration, among others. However, this potential is faced with a myriad of security issues, such as large sea area, sophisticated piracy networks and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.
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    The Role of Gender-based Factors on the Levels of Student Participation in eLearning in Select Universities in Nairobi City County, Kenya.
    (Eastern African Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2024-08) Thua, Josephine Nyambura; Okemwa, Pacificah; Mwatha, Regina; Malenya, Francis
    eLearning is an attractive mode of learning that provides easy access to education to students who would otherwise be disadvantaged by social, economic and geographic impediments to educational advancement. There is limited information on the role of the digital gender divide and gender-based factors in participation in eLearning in universities. The study aimedto assess the gender disparities in learner participation whose indicators were defined as login frequency, breaks within a session, study location,and student-instructor interaction. This was a descriptive study using multistage sampling with a sample size of 395 students and 32 KII. A questionnaire, key informant interview guide and content analysis were used as the data collection tools. Data wasquantitatively and qualitatively analysed. The study found that men’sfrequency of login to LMS was higher than women’s. Women (71.7%) were observed to have fewer breaks than men (65.9%). The reasons for the breaks were poor or unstable internet, caregiving,and work-related engagement. Women spent more time per session (119.06 minutes) compared to men (109.74 minutes). Based on the findings, strategies were proposed to mitigate these factors. The importance of this study is it provides baseline data that can be used to formulate policies that are gender responsive and will contribute to the promotion, enhancement, and sustenance of eLearning for educational advancement. This study was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic which required most data to be accessed virtually. There was reluctance to fully disclose information by universities which treated the information as confidential