Challenges of Mainstreaming Gender in National Planning and Budgeting Process in Kenya

Abstract

The government of Kenya has expressed her intention to attain gender equality through gender mainstreaming. The government of Kenya has taken steps in establishing policies and institutional mechanisms for gender mainstreaming. However gender mainstreaming programmes are not effective. Yet, taking a gender perspective in development process including budgeting and planning process is crucial in attaining development inspirations in the Vision 2030, the Constitution and Millennium Development Goals. The study sought to find challenges of mainstreaming gender in planning and budgeting process in Kenya. The study took place in Nairobi County and focused on three ministries whose role in mainstreaming gender in planning and budgeting is considered important. The study utilized change theory that argues in any planned change reinforcing and restraining forces must be identified, analyzed and action taken. This study used a descriptive research design and collected data from primary and secondary sources. Primary data was collected using questionnaires and interviews. Secondary data was obtained from government policies, manuals and reports on gender, planning and budgeting. Literature was also reviewed from journals, books and internet sources. The study found that methods used to mainstream gender in planning and budgeting process include, trainings, integration of gender in the planning and budgeting frameworks, establishment of gender focal points and development of ministerial gender policies. Effectiveness of these methods was hindered by lack of monitoring, low gender mainstreaming skills, ineffective gender mainstreaming structures and lack of budget. The study concludes that for gender mainstreaming to be effective there is urgent need to build gender mainstreaming skills of officers in government ministries, strengthen gender focal points, allocate sufficient budget to gender work and coordinate policy development across sectors to ensure gender mainstreaming coherently runs across all sectors.

The government of Kenya has expressed her intention to attain gender equality through gender mainstreaming. The government of Kenya has taken steps in establishing policies and institutional mechanisms for gender mainstreaming. However gender mainstreaming programmes are not effective. Yet, taking a gender perspective in development process including budgeting and planning process is crucial in attaining development inspirations in the Vision 2030, the Constitution and Millennium Development Goals. The study sought to find challenges of mainstreaming gender in planning and budgeting process in Kenya.

The study took place in Nairobi County and focused on three ministries whose role in mainstreaming gender in planning and budgeting is considered important. The study utilized change theory that argues in any planned change reinforcing and restraining forces must be identified, analyzed and action taken.

This study used a descriptive research design and collected data from primary and secondary sources. Primary data was collected using questionnaires and interviews. Secondary data was obtained from government policies, manuals and reports on gender, planning and budgeting. Literature was also reviewed from journals, books and internet sources. The study found that methods used to mainstream gender in planning and budgeting process include, trainings, integration of gender-in the planning and budgeting frameworks, establishment of _gender focal points and development of ministerial gender policies. Effectiveness of -these methods was hindered by lack of monitoring, low gender mainstreaming skills, ineffective gender mainstreaming structures and lack of budget. The study concludes that for gender mainstreaming to be effective there is urgent need to build gender mainstreaming skills of officers in government ministries, strengthen gender focal points, allocate sufficient budget to gender work and coordinate policy development across sectors to ensure gender mainstreaming coherently runs across all sectors.