As President Uhuru Kenyatta concludes his tenure, his administration's efforts to advance gender equality remain under scrutiny. While multiple programs targeting maternal health, economic empowerment, and violence prevention have been implemented, debates persist about their effectiveness and sustainability.
Linda Mama Maternity Program ¶
Introduced in 2013, the Linda Mama initiative provided free maternity care to women in rural and urban slums, expanding access to skilled delivery services. By 2015, UNFPA data showed 21 women died daily from childbirth complications, prompting the 2016 expansion of the program to cover 400,000 underserved women. Public facilities handled over one million deliveries annually by 2018, up from a 35% increase in the first year.
Universal Health Coverage Expansion ¶
The 2018 Afya Care pilot program, part of the Universal Health Coverage initiative, offered maternal and child health services in four counties. It included HIV treatment, cancer screening, and management of non-communicable diseases, aligning with Kenya’s Vision 2030 goals for improved healthcare access.
Beyond Zero Campaign ¶
First Lady Margaret Kenyatta’s 2014 Beyond Zero program reduced preventable maternal and child deaths through mobile clinics in all 47 counties. Data showed a decline in HIV transmission from 12,000 cases in 2013 to 6,600 in 2016, and unskilled deliveries dropped from 56% to 34% between 2013 and 2016.
Economic Empowerment Measures ¶
The administration increased funding for the Women Enterprise Fund (Wef), disbursing over Sh19 billion to 1.2 million women since 2013. The Uwezo Fund allocated Sh6.9 billion to youth and women groups, while cabinet representation for women reached 30% under Kenyatta’s leadership.
Anti-SGBV Strategies ¶
Presidential directives in 2019 aimed to eliminate FGM by 2023, with 2020 measures targeting teenage pregnancies and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Kenya plans to fully enforce SGBV laws by 2024, ratify ILO Convention 190 by 2026, and integrate anti-GBV services into Universal Health Coverage by 2023.