Kenya among worst countries for women, report suggests
Women at Bora Imani in Magarini, Kilifi County. The semi-arid region hosts many poverty-stricken families. Kenya has been ranked among 30 worst countries for women in the 2023 Women, Peace and Security (WPS) report.
What you need to know:
- At position 149 out of 177, the country is behind Uganda and Tanzania that occupy positions 143 and 107 respectively.
- Denmark leads the 2023 rankings and performs more than three times better than Afghanistan.
Kenya has been ranked among 30 worst countries for women to live in, trailing its East African neighbours.
At position 149 out of 177, the country is behind Uganda and Tanzania that occupy positions 143 and 107 respectively.
The ranking was documented in the 2023 Women, Peace and Security (WPS) report, following research conducted by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security (GIWPS) and the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO).
The indicators of women’s status were classified under three dimensions: economic, social and political inclusion; formal and informal justice and discrimination; and security at the individual, community, and societal levels.
“Women's financial inclusion in the country has increased to 75.4 per cent in 2023 from 51.9 per cent in 2017, while representation in parliament has improved by 4.6 per cent,” the report reads.
Decline in phone use
However, women’s mobile phone use has decreased by 5.1 per cent in the last six years. Their perception of safety has also decreased by 6 per cent.
The study revealed glaring disparities around the world. “Denmark leads the 2023 rankings and performs more than three times better than Afghanistan, ranked at the bottom.”
Additionally, the top dozen countries, including Nordic countries, are in the developed country group, except the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East, while the bottom dozen are classified as fragile states, with seven being in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“In most of the bottom-ranked countries, more than half of women live in close proximity to conflict.”
In Africa, South Africa was best ranked at no 91. Tunisia followed closely at position 96.
The study asserted that countries where women are doing well are also more peaceful, democratic, prosperous, and better prepared to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
Living near conflict-affected areas was found to undermine women's inclusion, justice, and security, increasing maternal deaths, gender-based violence, school dropout rates, and livelihood barriers.
