WOMEN ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

Polycom is glad to announce a new project focusing on empowering women economically under SDG 5. This is a project run by the SDG Kenya Forum and implemented by various organizations within the Country. The project is currently being implemented in 8 Sub-Counties namely; Kisumu, Kilifi, Kitui, Kajiado, Bomet, Nakuru, Nairobi and Samburu. The project has four major outcome areas;

• Increase implementation and funding of policies that advance women’s economic empowerment and make it a priority at the national level
• Strengthen the ability of governments and CSOs to deliver on gender equality policy priorities
• Strengthen the CSOs as an Accountability Platform for CSOs’ Collective Advocacy and Impact on SDGs
• Improved Data generation (Including SDG5 data) and capacity to use

  

  

  
  

The purpose of this project is to enusre policies that are put in place to encourage women economic empowerment are implemented and if not challenged at the County level. The core activites will focus on ensuring women are able to participate in any policy space, contribute their voice and inform deceisions at the roundtable meetings. It also focuses on women equal rights to be empowered to own resources and financial services.

The first activity under this project was a needs analysis assessment that was done to a sample of women and girls who live and have businesses within Kibera and its environs.

The Pre-assessment tool was administered to gauge the level of understanding of the identified groups. The tool had the following categories;

• Demographics
• Advocacy-how to engage at Policy Level
• Motivation-to attend any advocacy training
• Prior Learning to gauge their advocacy experience
• Women Economic Empowerment
• SDG’s

According to UN Women, Women’s economic empowerment includes women’s ability to participate equally in existing markets; their access to and control over productive resources, access to decent work, control over their own time, lives and bodies; and increased voice, agency and meaningful participation in economic decision-making at all levels from the household to international institutions.

Towards attaining Agenda 2030 of the Sustainable Development Goals, it is essential that women are empowered in the economy and the gender gap in work is closed.

Once a woman is empowered economically several SDGs will have been accomplished, particularly Goal 5, to achieve gender equality, and Goal 8, to promote full and productive employment and decent work for all; also Goal 1 on ending poverty, Goal 2 on food security, Goal 3 on ensuring health and Goal 10 on reducing inequalities.

We know when more women work, economies grow thus improving productivity, increasing economic diversification and income equality in addition to other positive development outcomes.

Acording to the UN Women, Women’s economic equality is good for business. Companies greatly benefit from increasing employment and leadership opportunities for women, which is shown to increase organizational effectiveness and growth. It is estimated that companies with three or more women in senior management functions score higher in all dimensions of organizational performance.