Impact of Gender-Inclusive Labor Policies on Women’s Employment in Isiolo County, Kenya
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Date
2023
Authors
Moraa, Lina Elsie
Mainah, Muthoni
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
IJRISS
Abstract
The gender gap in Kenya’s labour market has traditionally been in favour of men, with women being
underrepresented in the formal segment of the market. Kenya has gradually come up with employment
policies to rectify this problem and achieve gender equality in the market. While these policies are
formulated at national level, part of the implementation is entrusted to county governments. However, the
impact or effectiveness of these policies to achieve intended goal has hardly been interrogated mainly the
context of county governments in Kenya. The study investigated the influence of gender inclusive labour
policies on women employment, with a precise case study of Isiolo County. This study was be anchored on
the Empowerment Theory which argues that actions of empowerment ought to yield outcomes. The study
adopted a descriptive survey method, targeting women working with the county government of Isiolo within
its three Sub Counties namely, Isiolo, Merti, and Garbatulla. The study found that gender- inclusive labour
policies in Isiolo County have had mixed success. While most respondents believed that implementing these
policies has increased the number of women in the workplace or leadership positions, there still needs to be
more awareness. Most respondents reported experiencing discrimination, including hiring bias, promotion
denial, and unequal pay. The study also revealed barriers to women’s career progression in the public sector,
such as gender bias, lack of access to training, and work-life balance challenges. Moreover, respondents
perceived the effectiveness of gender-inclusive labour policies as ineffective. A lack of awareness,
insufficient training, and resistance to change are the main factors hindering their implementation. Further
research and targeted interventions are recommended to address these issues, including promoting
intersectionality, addressing unconscious bias, engaging male allies, and examining the effects of remote
and flexible work arrangements.
Description
Article
Keywords
Gender gap, Labour market, Women underrepresentation, Employment policies, Gender pay gap, Labour absorption
Citation
Moraa, L. E., & Mainah, M. (2023). Impact of Gender-Inclusive Labor Policies on Women’ s Employment in Isiolo County, Kenya. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 7(6), 1441-1461.