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Report: Dismal funding holding back women empowerment
Since 2015, not more than one per cent of international funding has been injected into women’s economic empowerment projects in Kenya, a new study has shown.
What you need to know:
- Publish What You Fund tracked grant and non-grant funding from bilateral, multilateral, development finance institutions and philanthropic organisations from 2015 to 2019.
- The not-for-profit organisation assessed money allocated to women’s economic empowerment, unpaid care work, women’s financial inclusion, and women’s empowerment collectives.
Since 2015, not more than one per cent of international funding has been injected into women’s economic empowerment projects in Kenya, a new study has shown.
In compiling Tracking International Funding to Women’s Economic Empowerment in Kenya 2022 report, Publish What You Fund, tracked grant and non-grant funding from bilateral, multilateral, development finance institutions and philanthropic organisations from 2015 to 2019.
The not-for-profit organisation campaigns for a global campaign for aid and development transparency. It assessed money allocated to women’s economic empowerment, unpaid care work, women’s financial inclusion, and women’s empowerment collectives.
Also read: AU on a mission to empower women
The funding pointed to a unprioritised development sector, yet gender equality is part of the pillars of attaining sustainable development.
The gaps are already wide, with the latest report by World Economic Forum indicating the gender gap has been closed by 68.1 per cent. And to reach full parity, it would take 132 years, a waiting period almost two times the global life expectancy of 73.4 years. This means millions of people in this generation would die before enjoying the fruits of social equity.
Sectoral allocations
Women economic empowerment projects in agriculture, forestry, and fishing sectors received a mere one per cent. In tourism, the funding dropped even further to 0.8 per cent.
It was worse in the business sector.The study found that projects that primarily addressed women’s economic empowerment received only one per cent of total funding for business services in Kenya. Further still, projects in this sector that had a sole focus on women and girls attracted just 0.1 per cent of total funding.
Yet in the 2015–19 period, 14 per cent of grant and 26 per cent of non-grant funding ((loans, guarantees, and equity) supported rights- and policy-inclined projects.
A further 21 per cent of grant and 35 per cent of non-grant funding targeted employment, entrepreneurship and productive resources access, while a huge 65 per cent of grant and 39 per cent of non-grant funding supported foundational capabilities.
In the face of this, the researchers recommend that the funders specify groups of women targeted by funding, even where women’s economic empowerment is a sub-component of a broader project. This they argue would avert the exclusion of women in these crucial projects.
